In this episode I interview Chris Corrales, founder of MedicinEvolution and Gravity Meridians systems about his recent formation of the Gravity Meridians system of assessment models for bodywork and healing practitioners. Chris is a certified practitioner of Structural Integration, a classically trained Homeopath, and BJJ Practitioner. Join us while we deconstruct the Gravity Meridians system and show its breakthrough to both health practitioners as well as movement professionals.

A brief bio:

At 21 years old, after growing up with asthma and experiencing little to no help from conventional medicine, and sustaining a number of injuries from training and competing internationally in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, I was introduced to Structural Integration. After only a few sessions, a shoulder injury, remnants of a sprained ankle, chronic low back pain, neck pain, and surprisingly my asthma were all transformed. The results of Structural Integration were dramatically different from other types of bodywork I had experienced, and this time the changes were tangible and lasting. This life altering experience became my focus and passion.

In 1996, I completed the Pacific College of Oriental Medicine’s massage certification in San Diego, CA and also became a certified EMT. In 1998 I graduated from the world renown Guild for Structural Integration in Boulder, CO. At the Guild, my studies were highlighted with specialty workshops in energy medicine, the emotional body, and the dramatic effects of subtle spinal interventions.

I’ve studied with a number of Dr. Rolf’s original students to hone my skills of touch assessment, intervention, and integration. Jim Price privately mentored me through an entire 10-series which solidified my understanding and feel for the work. I went on to study homeopathy to deepen my knowledge of disease processes and healing. Continuing education has been important to me from the very beginning my most recent studies were with Ron Murray D.O.

Resources:

Chris Corrales clinic website: http://www.medicinevolution.com

Gravity Meridians Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1430044350632959/

In this episode I interview Isaac Osborne, Advanced Practitioner of Structural Integration, LMT, and creator and founder of imaging software Body Align Pro and inventor of the Sqr Shot device holder about his practice and his recent experience as an attendee and exhibitor at the 4th Fascial Research Congress in Reston Virginia.

A brief bio:

Isaac has 17 years in the chronic pain industry. He began his bodywork training while living on Kauai learning Hawaiian Lomi Lomi, Swedish Massage, Deep Tissue Massage, Shiatsu, Lymph Drainage Massage, American and Russian Sports Massage, Craino-sacral Therapy, Thai Yoga Therapy, and Myofascial Release.

For 2 years Isaac was the lead medical massage therapist in a Physical Therapy Clinic where he focused on pre and post surgical care, work comp injuries and auto injuries. Realizing that the techniques he was using could be improved to help his clients (and himself because he was suffering from his own chronic low back and neck pain for over 12 years). He sought out the Rolf Method of Structural Integration to further enhance his training and address his pain. Isaac became certified in the method and incorporated the technique into his practice at his own clinic that he started after leaving the physical therapy clinic.

After a couple of years of practicing the Rolf Method and getting his advanced certification Isaac was invited to teach with his mentor Emmett Hutchins at the Guild for Structural Integration. Isaac has taught with them since 2005 with beginning, advanced classes, and workshops and also taught a class in Japan.

The next progression in his training occurred when Isaac discovered the Egoscue Method of Posture Alignment Therapy. Learning the Egoscue Method felt like the missing puzzle piece that allowed him total freedom from his remaining pain of over 16 years.

An Accredited Exercise Therapist from Egoscue University and former Instructor for Egoscue University, Isaac combines his extensive experience and passion for sharing his knowledge to help people free themselves of chronic pain, address their postural compensations, and improve athletic performance.

Isaac Osborne managed the imaging software for the Guild for Structural Integration for several years and has used imaging software in his clinic for over 10 years. He has reviewed thousands of photos with clients, students, teachers and mentors and recognized what a valuable teaching tool it was for them to see their photos. But this value is only realized when the camera is positioned precisely as possible and so Isaac created Body Align Pro® and SqrShot™. Isaac uses the App every day in his clinic, Motion Unlimited, Santa Barbara. - See more at: http://bodyalignpro.com/#sthash.xw9gODS3.dpuf

Resources:

Isaac Osbornes clinic website: http://www.motionunlimited.net

Body Align Pro imaging app: http://www.bodyalignpro.com

Sqr Shot device positioning http://www.sqrshot.com

Episode #49 Kevin Lucas–

In this episode I interview Kevin Lucas, BCSI, LMT, about his many Structural Integration endevours- his school, teaching, his work with dogs, Healthy Paws Therapy, his work with athletes at Gonzaga University and elsewhere, and his innovative program for self care, Relief Through Rolling.

A brief bio:

Kevin Lucas, BCSIcm, LMT is a Certified Advanced Structural Integrator. He began his education at the Utah College of Massage therapy and received his advanced training at the Guild for Structural Integration. Kevin is the founder and director of Structural Innovations which is 1 of 22 recognized schools by the international Association of Structural Integrators to teach the Rolf Method of Structural Integration.

Throughout his career, Kevin has helped thousands of patients and specializes in working with people who have very severe conditions and diseases such as Scoliosis, Parkinson’s, Dystonia, Fibromyalgia, and Chronic Pain. Kevin also specializes in working with all levels of athletes and works on a daily basis with professional and collegiate level athletes from all over the country.

Kevin’s passion and obsession of helping people find relief from pain revolves around the principle of teaching people to fish instead of just giving a fish. By increasing people’s awareness whether it is his students, or clients and giving them effective tools they can use to help themselves is how he believes we will change the planet the most. This obsession with helping people help themselves drove him to create Relief Through Rolling which is one of the most simple and effective pain relief self-care methods that people can use to increase circulation, improve range of motion, improve posture and most importantly decrease pain on the market today.

The obsession that Kevin has to help people also extends to animals. Kevin is the creator and founder of Healthy Paws therapy which is a very effective and powerful tool that teaches dog owners and care givers how to perform myofascial work with their canine companions in a very fun, simple and highly effective way. Kevin believes that if you can pet your dog, you can work on your dog and help them find relief from pain and live the most vibrant, dynamic and healthy lives they are meant to live.

Resources:

Kevins Structural Integration website and school: http://structuralinnovations.us/

Healthy Paws Therapy: http://healthypawstherapy.com/

Relief Through Rolling: http://rtrolling.com/

In this episode:

Tons of athletes are using RockTape and KT tape these days- it looks great but what its all about?

According to RockTape, there are three types of taping- for slightly different applications.

1) Pain Taping- to reduce pain. A subset of this is drainage taping for swollen areas to facilitate lymph drainage and reduce swelling. Another subset would effectively splint the injured area (minor injury) to get muscle groups surrounding a joint to work together more efficiently, better supporting the joint.

2) Postural Taping- this is combined with a discrete assessment method like FMS, muscle testing, or SFMA to determine what muscles are not working enough and which ones are overworking. The goal is to create balance across agonist/antoganist muscles and muscular chains to facilitate functional strength and flexibility, balance, etc.

3) Performance Taping- the focus here is to tape entire chains of muscles (for particular movements) to improve strength and endurance. This is movement specific and sport specific.

For example, crossfitters may tape the vertical muscles of the back and neck to help maintain the posterior chain while doing multiple rounds of overhead Olympic lifts- minimizing the need for or eliminating the need for a belt.

The research: Not much has been done and studies show conflicting results. RockTape specific studies are not robust enough to be considered rigorous enough to withstand scrutiny.

So- does it work?

In my clinical experience- it does work. It works very well.

Consider that the placebo effect has been shown to consist of up to 40% of the success of all interventions- across the board.

How the person, client, patient, etc FEELS about the tape is the placebo effect… 40%. So even if there is no other effect, if the person feels stronger, faster, has more stamina, etc- they will perform as if they possess what they feel they possess. The mind is a powerful driver of physiological performance!

That being the baseline- there are two additional aspects for how the tape actually works.

Quick case study (me)- Recently I went on a 20 mi very steep and rocky hike in very worn minimalist shoes- needless to say- my feet were pretty beat up by the time I was done and I was limping around at the end of the day.

After showering, I taped the soles of my feet and my arches in particular (as they were the sorest part).

The result- I experienced immediate reduction of pain of about 90%. I was not limping and didn’t feel the need to step carefully. Pretty huge for an immediate result.

So- why did that happen?

The tape itself has very particular properties- it stretches lengthwise (stretch and pre loaded stretch vary by manufacturer) but not widthwise. Some tape is stickier, or thicker than other tape- also varies by manufacturer.

Application of the tape takes these properties into account for the most efficient, effective taping results.

Tape is designed to stay on the body for up to 5 days- you can shower in it as long as you treat it gently.

The body responds to tape like it does to touch. Unlike physical touch, though, tape can stay in place for up to 5 days, magnifying its effects.

Tape, because it is stretchy and sticky, actually lifts the superficial layer of skin and fascia (underlying connective tissue) off of the lower layers, creating space for movement- this is the physical effect that improves flexibility and range of motion.

The secondary, and much larger effects are neurological. The tape stimulates local nerve endings in the skin and superficial fascia which signal the brain to downregulate pain, and regulate muscular function (ie. Activate underactivated muscles and deactivate overactivated muscles). This creates balance, stability across a joint, and improvements in range of motion, and flexibility.

Additionally, once the brain decides that the area is stabilized and has greater balance, it will allow for longer active movement resulting in greater stamina, improved economy of movement and improved overall efficiency.

THAT is pretty cool in my book.

In this episode, I discuss and dissect the recent trending story about Esther Gokhale and her work with back pain- specifically comparing modern, first world, anatomy of the spine (she terms the “S- Shaped Spine) and the “J- Shaped Spine found in very old anatomy books in addition to modern indigenous peoples who live a traditional, non sitting lifestyle.

In this discussion I explain the reasons for the anatomical differences, their implication in poor posture, hip, SI, back, neck, and shoulder pain, and I offer a strategy for improving posture and banishing back pain.

Resources:

Esther Gokhale’s website: http://gokhalemethod.com

Exercise tips and movement cues:

1) lift the collarbones (disengage your shoulder girdle- engage your core)

2) build your glute medius (stand, balance, lunge- use your legs more often!)

3) build your glute complex (min, med, max)- squat often

4) Leg strength and mobility is important

5) Keep a long neck (starts in the mid back- lumbo dorsal hinge)

6) Get a Functional Assessment and tape the non or low functioning muscles

Exercises:

Overhead squat with broomstick: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJxtDGOnCOk

Brick smash: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xVVWTIGTQ7I

Banded walking (sideways): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fO6ppyR7lvI

Kettlebell squat: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mfhy67CSxAI (deadlift, Romanian deadlift, hex bar deadlift)- prep hip thrusts, banded hip thrusts

Walking lunges (fwd/reverse): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YYWhkctnP2o

1) Book on head (to lift collarbones)- Do this first: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHIpxFCPn8Y

2) Overhead squat with broomstick: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJxtDGOnCOk

3) Walking lunges: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YYWhkctnP2o

4) Reverse lunges with thrust: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VPd0JVvR_gk

5) Glute Bridge/Pelvic thrusts https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DvQXREKFfpY

6) Lunge matrix: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_79b0N8txI

Drugs that gobble up vitamins- in this episode, I discuss common pharma drugs that people are taking and the nutritional deficiencies that they drive. I also talk a bit about how to address the deficiencies and natural alternatives to the pharma drugs. Download the pdf checklist HERE

Edema and spider veins what they mean and what to do about them.

1)Edema is a swelling (usually in the lower extremities) resulting from poor circulation caused by a variety of factors (sitting, poor diet, nutrient deficiency, injury, etc) It is a result of pooling of liquids- blood, lymph, and interstitial fluids. Edema further slows fluid flow and can even block fluid flow. The risk of edema is blood pooling and clot formation. If the clots or micro clots become discharged into the bloodstream they create a high risk for stroke or heart attack.

2) Spider veins are blood vessels that have, due to nutritional deficiency of whole food vitamin C amongst other factors, lost their integrity, have swelled a bit and no longer move blood well. They are most visible in the sides of the heel, in the lower legs and legs and as people age, throughout the rest of the body.

3) Both of these conditions are manifestations of sub-clinical Scurvy- the degradation of the collagenous structures in the body due to deficiency in all of the 10 vitamin C factors (ascorbic acid is one of the 10 factors of vitamin C that the body needs to form the active compound.)

4) Insulin resistance and inactivity are the typical drivers for these conditions and additionally drive the increase in systemic inflammation in the body. High LDL and CRP (C-reactive protein- an inflammatory marker) are the typical result and are risk markers for cardiovascular events such as heart attack and stroke.

5) Herbal protocol to heal these situations (Oxypower- reduce systemic inflammation and CRP, Veinlite- repair blood vessels and reduce blood viscosity Asparagus Extract- for synergistic effect with the former two) along with an anti-inflammatory diet.) Bonus supplement for insulin resistence- Diabend – contains the herb Gymnema which has been shown to aid in balancing the blood sugar (key in lowering insulin resisitance).

6) Diet should be anti-inflammatory and low carb, ketogenic, or whole food paleo. This is key as one cant supplement their way out of imbalance when they continue to eat the foods that drove them to imbalance in the first place.

7) For athletes who are wary of taking herbal supplements- contact me directly through my contact page (http://therolfworkshop.com/contact.html) for the whole food supplement (non herbal) protocol.

Prostate health- nighttime urination, pain, inflammation, cherry angiomas

1) Men- if you are peeing in the middle of the night (ie. getting up in from sleep to go pee), you are not experiencing several erections during the night, you have trouble emptying out your bladder fully, have a split urine stream, pain, ache, or discomfort in the lower abdominal area near your pubic bone (deep) or above your perenium (deep) you may have an enlarged prostate.

2) If you are

3) If you have cherry angiomas (small red spots on the skin) across your abdomen, head, and or tongue, you may be turning your testosterone to bad estrogens that drive prostate enlargement and potentially prostate cancer

4) If you have abdominal fat – you may be hyperaromatizing your testosterone (turning it to bad estrogen)

5) The converging factors of this are driven also by insulin resistance from too many carbs.

6) Supplement protocol for repair (coupled with a low carb, paleo, or ketogenic diet is critical to stop this destructive process.

7) Supplement protocol is as follows: Myomin and Zinc Liver Chelate (to stop the conversion of your own testosterone to estrogen, Prosta Chi to repair your prostate, Diabend to repair your pancreas and balance the blood sugar, and Oxypower to cut the inflammation and repair the damage driven by insulin resistence and higher blood sugar.

8) For athletes who are wary of taking herbal supplements- contact me directly through my contact page (http://therolfworkshop.com/contact.html) for the whole food supplement (non herbal) protocol.

9) NOTE: Men who are taking supplemental Testosterone are high risk for conversion of testosterone to estrogen and thereby prostate pathology. Myomin is a must for any hormonal therapy to reduce the risks associated with HRT. Take Myomin to stop the conversion of valuable Testosterone to bad estrogens

Why you can't lose that stubborn fat. Insulin resistance?

1) The roots of this are in too much cardio and carbs. Insulin resistance will drive inflammation which holds belly fat on the body. Cardio is catabolic and drives the conversion of testosterone to bad estrogen. Supplement protocol is as follows: (Diabend for insulin resisitence, OxyPower for systemic inflammation).

2)Couple this with a low carb, paleo, or ketogenic diet to get at the root of the problem

3) For best results use the 21 Day Purification Program.

What causes dry and flaky skin?

1) Skin is a window to the body- it is the last organ of detoxification. The skin is also a very inefficient detoxifier.

2) When the liver is congested, usually from eating the wrong foods for too long, it no longer functions efficiently- it gets overwhelmed and uses the lungs and skin as backup detoxifiers- hence the skin issues that show up as dry or flaky skin, excema, psoriasis, and the like.

3) NOTE: Excema and Psoriasis are considered autoimmune diseases, Acne is a manifestation of gut dysbiosis and subsequent skin infection.

4) Because the skin conditions are driven by internal dysfunction, topical treatment such as lotion and crème are temporary solutions that don't get at the root of the problem- metabolic overload of the liver and gut disbyosis.

5) The solution for this liver congestion is to clean either the liver or the whole body out. 21 day purification program is preferred- another option is the following: (Liver Chi- for liver support, A-F Betafood for fat digestion, healthy fats such as Tuna Omega 3 Oil, low carb whole food diet or 21 day purification program)

6) Athletes use the 21 day purification program. http://therolfworkshop.com/21day.html and ProSynBiotic http://therolfworkshop.com/contact.html

Cycling discomfort- Late in the race or during longer training hours

1) This is qualified to athletes who have already had a professional bike fit (or several) and still have discomfort on the later hours on the bike. For triathletes, this is not only inefficient as the rider tends to slouch and collapse at the shoulder, the low back, or hip, neck, or knee.

2) After being fit and experiencing continued discomfort our method evaluates the riders posture and power numbers at aerobic and zone 4-5 for 10 minutes. We then help the rider correct his posture and retest. Inevitably, the power numbers go up. Also inevitably, the riders posture falls apart after several minutes at zone 4-5.

3) Thus, we know that the posture results in comfort and power at lower efforts but falls apart under higher effort. This is an example of the way the body exaggerates its structural imbalances under stress.

4) Our method uses a targeted short series of structural bodywork to change the flexibility and fluidity of the body in the bike posture- rendering the riders body greater comfort at higher efforts.

5) After each session, we measure rider output at both aerobic and zone 4-5 efforts. This time, the power numbers AND the comfort of the rider goes up- allowing the rider to stay comfortably at the higher effort for a longer period of time.

6) This gives great postural, mental, and emotional preparation for the run portion of the race- allowing the runner to get greater leg extension and verticality in the structure allowing for a more efficient, comfortable run with less drama.

Interested parties fill out my contact form at http://therolfworkshop.com/contact.html

In this episode I interview Rich Roll vegan ultra endurance athlete (bio below) about the benefits of a plant based diet, Rich’s tips for training and race fueling and recovery using whole, real foods, easy ways to incorporate more plant based food into one’s diet, and, the easy, inexpensive and stress-free way to make the conversion to a plant based diet, and the larger effects the transition has had on his family life and children.

A brief bio:

A graduate of Stanford University and Cornell Law School, Rich is a 47-year old, accomplished vegan ultra-endurance athlete and former entertainment attorney turned full-time wellness & plant-based nutrition advocate, motivational speaker, husband, father of 4 and inspiration to people worldwide as a transformative example of courageous and healthy living.

In 2012, Rich became a #1 bestselling author with the publication of his inspirational memoir Finding Ultra: Rejecting Middle Age, Becoming One of the World's Fittest Men, and Discovering Myself (Crown Archetype). Taking up where the book leaves off, in 2013 Rich launched the wildly popular Rich Roll Podcast, which persistently sits atop the iTunes top-10 lists.

In May 2010, Rich and his ultra-colleague Jason Lester accomplished an unprecedented feat of staggering endurance many said was not possible. Something they call the EPIC5 CHALLENGE - a odyssey that entailed completing 5 ironman-distance triathlons on 5 islands of Hawaii in under a week. Commencing on Kauai, they travelled to Oahu, Molokai and Maui before finishing on the Big Island, following the course of the Ironman World Championships on the Kona coast.

Rich’s plant-fueled feats of boundary-pushing athleticism have been featured on CNN and in the pages of the Los Angeles Times Sunday Magazine, The Huffington Post, Stanford Magazine, Men’s Health Living, VegNews, Triathlete, Outside, 3/GO Magazine and Men’s Fitness Magazine, which named Rich as one of the “25 Fittest Men in the World.”Along with his wife and four children, Rich resides in Malibu Canyon outside of Los Angeles.

When he isn’t writing, podcasting or spending time with his family, you can find him lost on the remote trails of the Santa Monica Mountains..

Resources:

Rich Roll’s Website: http://www.richroll.com/

Rich Roll Podcast: http://www.richroll.com/category/podcast/

The Plant Power Way: http://www.richroll.com/the-plantpower-way/

Finding Ultra: http://www.amazon.com/Finding-Ultra-Rejecting-Becoming-Discovering/dp/0307952207/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_y

In this episode I explore and answer the age old questions that many seekers ponder-

1) What most people don’t know about core strength and do incorrectly- this is related to the next topic…

2) What is postural imbalance, why its important, and how to determine and resolve your postural imbalances for better “core strength”, and physical performance.

3) Why do we keep seeing articles on “Why Vitamins Don’t Work” and why that matters- In this segment, I demystify common tribal knowledge from experiential clinical knowledge to show you the best way to determine what nutrients you may be missing and those you are likely taking that are causing problems.

4) Plantar Fasciitis is a scourge to those who have it and most methods are relatively ineffective in resolving PF for more than a limited time. I identify the primary SYSTEMIC drivers of PF and explain how PF is simply a symptom of a greater imbalance pattern.

5) Is arthritis curable?- First of all, what the heck is common arthritis? I explain how arthritis develops and why conventional treatments do no more than temporarily dull the pain. Once you understand how arthritis is caused, you will more readily understand the principles behind how to effectively resolve the underlying drivers of this painful condition.

Resources:

Upcoming Event: Dr. Tsu Tsair Chi live at Impact Health & Wellness- At Dr. Chi’s request we are unable to livecast and record this event for distribution. The live event is FREE and will be held in our teaching space Thursday Evening April 30th at 6:30pm.

Those interested in attending this special event must reserve their seat- seating is limited and invitations are going out to over 10,000 people for about 30 seats.

Dr. Chi will also be offering personalized constitutional assessments ( 4/30, 5/1, and possibly 5/2) using his fingernail and tongue analysis method and clear western terminology to explain to clients the imbalances, the implications, and offer a personalized plan for resolution.

These 10 minute assessments are extremely limited in number and are significantly discounted for this event at ONLY $41.00 (normally he charges up to $300 for an assessment). As of this writing-2/3 of the assessments are paid for.

If you are not local- Dr. Chi is also offering a limited number of phone appointments.

Book your personalized, 10 minute assessment and/or reserve a seat at the free lecture with Dr. Chi HERE

If you are not local, our front desk will tell you what photographs you will need to send in for Dr. Chi’s analysis.

Once you have purchased your session please call our concierge at (949) 954-6225 to schedule and for any further instructions.

Postural Assessment: BodyAlignPro is the app and should be available on both the itunes app store and the android app store as well (ive used both versions). The app at ~ $4.99-$5.99 is an inexpensive tool for “seeing” postural imbalances- it comes with tutorial videos.

In today’s episode, I discuss a recent case study of a person who put in enormous time, effort, and money into her healing process only to see it flounder after a few years.

The foundation of healing processes is as follows:

1) Eat the right foods for your body (foods, supplements, etc, proper eating mindset, chewing, etc)

2) Eliminate or minimize the impact stress has on your body. (Mindfulness, meditation, job change, relationship change, move location, etc)

3) If there is an internal imbalance of flora- use various methods to restore balance (kill bad, promote good)- herbs, tinctures, RIFE, etc.

4) Eliminate the toxins from the body (this includes destroyed flora, chemicals, metals, etc). Various methods/systems are available for this- stage 1/2 detox, lymph drainage, laxatives temporarily if necessary, gut cleanses, enemas, etc.

5) Movement- move your body in varied ways over varied terrain, using varied strategies.

6) Breathe

7) Replenish the body with genuine replacement parts- food, supplements, etc.

All other strategies go on top of this base strategy. All other treatments go on top of these base strategies.

If you’ve been paying attention to any of my social media posts and newsletter articles lately you probably know that I am a big fan of periodic metabolic body detoxification. And I have been just as guilty as most of the other authors out there in dumbing down the reasons why -honestly, I am pretty sure most of the authors out there don’t really know the specifics as to why detoxification is so important and beneficial- just that it works. So I am going to share with you today a few more wonky reasons why a regular, properly designed detox, makes you feel so good and makes your body operate at such a higher capacity than the vast majority of folks are used to.

Here are the 14 reasons:*

1) The liver converts thyroid hormone thyroxin (T4) into its more active form Triiodothyronine (T3). When your liver is not operating at potential, your thyroid function and thereby your metabolism will not be operating optimally. This can lead to symptoms such as chronic fatigue, weight gain, poor memory and so on.

2) The liver creates Glucose Tolerance Factor (GTF) from chromium, niacin and possibly glutathione. GTF is needed by the hormone insulin to properly regulate blood sugar levels. It is also a necessary co-factor for Growth Hormone to be effective in promoting muscle growth in response to muscular training.

3) The liver manufactures bile salts. These help you digest and absorb dietary fats. Bile is also a conduit for removing fat soluble toxins from the liver, draining them into the gut for excretion through defecation.

4) The liver activates B vitamins into their biologically active coenzyme forms. Other active vitamin precursors such as beta carotene, iron, copper, etc. are also converted into biologically active forms in the liver. Without this function, even the most well absorbed supplement will be useless and possibly even mildly toxic. In short, a well functioning liver makes your expensive supplements actually work.

5) The liver stores various nutrients like vitamins A, D, B12, and iron for release when needed.

6) The liver manufactures carnitine from lysine and other nutrients. Carnitine is the only known nutrient which can escort fats into the mitochondria where fats are burned to generate ATP (cellular energy). Better liver function gets you more energy! Endurance athletes, like me, can improve both their power as well as their endurance by getting the liver functioning more efficiently.

7) The liver converts lactic acid from a toxic waste to an important storage food. Lactic acid is a byproduct of cellular energy production and a build up can produce chronic pain and inflammation. The liver converts lactic acid dumped into the bloodstream by hard working muscles into glycogen.

8) The liver serves as the main glucose buffer, preventing high or low extremes of blood sugar. It is a key regulator of blood sugar between meals, due to its manufacture, storage and release of glycogen. This helps prevent energy and mood swings that get most folks reaching for coffee and sweets mid morning and in the afternoon. This also helps keep endurance athletes chugging along without “bonking”.

9) The liver can make glucose (used for energy production in the body) from dietary or body derived amino acids. This process is called glucogenesis (glucose making) and it ensures adequate brain and muscle carbohydrate fuel supplies even when the diet provides little are no carbohudrates. The liver produces as much as 20-25% of the blood sugar that endurance athletes during intense training or competition by converting the amino acid alanine (released from muscle tissue) into glucose.

10) The liver is the chief regulator of protein metabolism. It converts different amino acids into each other as needed. The liver also synthezes creatine from the amino acids glycine, arginine, and methionine. If not for the super high energy biochemical creatine phosphate, sprint- type athletics would be biologically impossible.

11) The liver produces cholesterol and packages it into different forms for blood transport: HDL, LDL, VLDL. Essential fatty acids, such as linoleic acid, GLA, EPA, and DHA, must also be properly packaged by the liver ito appropriate lipoprotein forms (VLDL) to allow transport through the blood to the 50 trillion cells using the fatty acids.

12) The liver is the main poison-detoxifying organ in the body. It must break down virtually everything toxic to the body- from metabolic wastes, to insecticide residues, drugs, and alcohol, industrial and food processing chemicals, etc. Failure of this liver function will usually cause death in twelve to twenty-four hours.

13) The liver must dispose of ammonia, an extremely toxic by-product of protein metabolism. The amino acids arginine, and orthinine are used by the liver to control ammonia levels. Ammonia can cause brain irritation and even death- even at low levels.

14) The liver is the main organ for breaking down hormones after they have served their messenger function to their target cells. For example, if the liver dies not break down insulin quickly enough, hypoglycemia results as the still circulating insulin continues to lower blood sugar. If the liver dies not metabolize estrogen properly, PMS will result. Failure to dispose of adrenaline (the fight or flight hormone) after it has outlived its usefulness may lead to chronic irritability and temper explosions.