The Message of Pain

The Message of Pain

BY MADISYN TAYLOR A warrior perseveres in the face of adversity, stands up for their beliefs, and speaks in the service of those who cannot. When we feel pain, our first impulse is often to eradicate it with medication. This is an understandable response, but sometimes in our hurry to get rid of pain, we forget that it is the body's way of letting us know that it needs our attention. A headache can inform us that we're hungry or stressed just as a sore throat might be telling us that we need to rest our voice. If we override these messages instead of respond to them, we risk worsening our condition. In addition, we create a feeling of disconnectedness between our minds and our bodies. Physical pain is not the only kind of pain that lets us know our attention is needed. Emotional pain provides us with valuable information about the state of our psyche, letting us know that we have been affected by something and that we would do well to focus our awareness inward. Just as we tend to a cut on our arm by cleaning and bandaging it, we treat a broken heart by surrounding ourselves with love and support. In both cases, if we listen to our pain we will know what to do to heal ourselves. It's natural to want to resist pain, but once we understand that it is here to give us valuable information, we can relax a bit more, and take a moment to listen before we reach for medication. Sometimes this is enough to noticeably reduce the pain, because its message has been heard. Perhaps we seek to medicate pain because we fear that if we don't, it will never go away. It can be empowering to realize that, at least some of the time, it is just a matter of listening and responding. The next time you feel pain, either physical or emotional, you might want to try listening to your own intuition about how to relieve your pain. Maybe taking a few deep breaths will put an end to that headache. Perhaps writing in your journal about hurt feelings will ease your heart. Ultimately, the message of pain is all about healing.

Taking on the Energy of Others

Taking on the Energy of Others

BY MADISYN TAYLOR To protect ourselves from taking on any negative energy from people or situations, we can learn to shield. There are times when you may find that being around certain individuals or groups of people leaves you with feelings of discomfort. It may be that spending time with a particular friend feels draining or that dealing with a specific coworker exhausts you. Being around toxic or angry people is also draining. And you may even find that being surrounded by a crowd of people lowers your energy levels rather than perks you up. This is not that unusual. Each of us radiates energy and is capable of being influenced by the energy of other people. It is important to learn how to shield yourself, so you don't unknowingly take on someone else's energy. While some people know how to instinctively protect themselves from being adversely affected by energy, most of us need to discover and practice the technique that works best. There are a number of ways to avoid being affected by people's energy. Shielding is one preventative technique you can use. Center yourself and envision being enveloped in a cocoon of loving and protective light. This protective layer should allow you to consciously regulate the energy around you. The intent to shield oneself is all you need for this technique to work. You can even create a trigger word to assist you in quickly creating a shield. Say this word each time you create a new shield, until the word and the shield become automatically associated in your mind. If you run into a person whose energy you find draining, you may want to cleanse your own energy field after your encounter. Sage, cold showers, singing, mineral water baths, spending time in nature, and a simple break to recharge are all ways to accomplish this. While it is important to know how to shield yourself from energy, there are those energies that you may not want to shut out. The energy of laughter from a newborn baby, the feeling of joy radiating from someone in love, and the frequency of calm emanating from an enlightened teacher are just some of the energies coming from others that you may want to have around you.

Hero Saturday 8/24

Joe Lengel Jr., 57, of Toledo, OH, died on November 19, 2012, of a gunshot wound sustained while opening his gym, Crossfit Intensity. Surviving Joe are his wife of 32 years, Karen; sons, Aaron (Kendra) and Matt; daughter, Mary Beth; grandchildren, Aiden, Kolbrin, Kamden, Atley, Avelyn, Koralyn, Aaron II, Layla and Reis. Joe was preceded in death by his grandson Kelan.
Read Here for a Great Article About Joe Lengel’s Legacy.

Jump rope Warm Up 

2x

30:30

-Singles

-Side straddles

-Split jumps/ scissors 

-Skier jumps

-March

-Single foot double jumps (right 1,2 – left 1,2)

Skill

Thrusters

WOD

Joe

10 Rounds for time of:

10 Thrusters, 95# / 65#

10 Bar Facing Burpees

10 Pull-Ups

57 Double-Unders

Friday 8/23

Warm up 

A- Mash pec minor & glutes/ 2x 30 hitch hiker & 7 lateral lunges

B- Squat Prep Warm Up

10 Russian baby makers

10 Hawaiian squats on each side

10 Rack assisted squats (3 second pause at bottom)

(http://www.crossfitinvictus.com/blog/squat-therapy/) 

Skill 

Body positioning on push ups and air squats

WOD

5 rounds of:

2 rope climbs

30 push ups

40 air squats

Rest 2 minutes

Thursday 8/22

Warm Up 

A- Mash bottom of feet & calves/ 2x 75 singles jump rope + 10 good mornings

B- Combo Activation #1

Overhead banded circles

External rotations

Band walks (Lateral & FWD/REV)

Skill

Power swing

WOD

12 minute AMRAP

20 KBS w/35# m/53#

30 double unders

GoFit

Warm Up 

A- Mash bottom of feet & calves/ 2x 75 singles jump rope + 10 good mornings

B- Combo Activation #1

Overhead banded circles

External rotations

Band walks (Lateral & FWD/REV)

Skill

Power swing

WOD

7x

20:20

-KBS

-Jump rope

-Mountain climbers

Vitamin A: Benefits, Deficiency, Toxicity and More

• What It Is
• Functions
• Benefits
• Deficiency
• Sources
• Toxicity & Dosage
• Bottom Line

Vitamin A is a fat-soluble nutrient that plays a vital role in your body.

It exists naturally in the foods you eat and can also be consumed through supplements.

This article discusses vitamin A, including its benefits, food sources, as well as effects of deficiency and toxicity.

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What Is Vitamin A?

Though vitamin A is often considered a singular nutrient, it’s really the name for a group of fat-soluble compounds, including retinol, retinal and retinyl esters (1Trusted Source).

There are two forms of vitamin A found in food. 

Preformed vitamin A — retinol and retinyl esters — occurs exclusively in animal products, such as dairy, liver and fish, while provitamin A carotenoids are abundant in plant foods like fruits, vegetables and oils (2Trusted Source).

To use them, your body must convert both forms of vitamin A to retinal and retinoic acid, the active forms of the vitamin.

Because vitamin A is fat soluble, it’s stored in body tissue for later use.

Most of the vitamin A in your body is kept in your liver in the form of retinyl esters (3Trusted Source).

These esters are then broken down into all-trans-retinol, which binds to retinol binding protein (RBP). It then enters your bloodstream, at which point your body can use it (4Trusted Source).

SUMMARYVitamin A is the generic term for a group of fat-soluble compounds found in both animal and plant foods.

Functions in Your Body

Vitamin A is essential for your health, supporting cell growth, immune function, fetal development and vision. 

Perhaps one of the best-known functions of vitamin A is its role in vision and eye health. 

Retinal, the active form of vitamin A, combines with the protein opsin to form rhodopsin, a molecule necessary for color vision and low-light vision (5Trusted Source).

It also helps protect and maintain the cornea — the outermost layer of your eye — and the conjunctiva — a thin membrane that covers the surface of your eye and inside of your eyelids (6Trusted Source).

Additionally, vitamin A helps maintain surface tissues such as your skin, intestines, lungs, bladder and inner ear.

It supports immune function by supporting the growth and distribution of T-cells, a type of white blood cell that protects your body from infection (7Trusted Source).

What’s more, vitamin A supports healthy skin cells, male and female reproduction and fetal development (8Trusted Source).

SUMMARYVitamin A is needed for eye health, vision, immune function, cell growth, reproduction and fetal development.

Health Benefits

Vitamin A is an important nutrient that benefits health in many ways.

Potent Antioxidant

Provitamin A carotenoids such as beta-carotene, alpha-carotene and beta-cryptoxanthin are precursors of vitamin A and have antioxidant properties.

Carotenoids fight free radicals — highly reactive molecules that can harm your body by creating oxidative stress (9Trusted Source).

Oxidative stress has been linked to various chronic illnesses like diabetes, cancer, heart disease and cognitive decline (10Trusted Source).

Diets high in carotenoids are associated with a lower risk of many of these conditions, such as heart disease, lung cancer and diabetes (11Trusted Source, 12Trusted Source, 13Trusted Source).

Essential for Eye Health and Prevents Macular Degeneration

As mentioned above, vitamin A is essential to vision and eye health.

Adequate dietary intake of vitamin A helps protect against certain eye diseases, such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

Studies show that higher blood levels of beta-carotene, alpha-carotene and beta-cryptoxanthin may reduce your risk of AMD by up to 25% (14Trusted Source).

This risk reduction is linked to carotenoid nutrients’ protection of macular tissue by lowering levels of oxidative stress.

May Protect Against Certain Cancers 

Due to their antioxidant properties, carotenoid-rich fruits and vegetables may protect against certain types of cancer.

For example, a study in over 10,000 adults determined that smokers with the highest blood levels of alpha-carotene and beta-cryptoxanthin had a 46% and 61% lower risk of dying from lung cancer, respectively, than non-smokers with the lowest intake of these nutrients (15Trusted Source).

What’s more, test-tube studies demonstrate that retinoids may inhibit the growth of certain cancer cells, such as bladder, breast and ovarian cancer (16Trusted Source).

Vital for Fertility and Fetal Development

Vitamin A is essential for both male and female reproduction because it plays a role in sperm and egg development.

It’s also critical for placental health, fetal tissue development and maintenance, as well as fetal growth (8Trusted Source).

Therefore, vitamin A is integral to maternal and fetal health and to those trying to conceive.

Boosts Your Immune System 

Vitamin A impacts immune health by stimulating responses that protect your body from illnesses and infections.

Vitamin A is involved in the creation of certain cells, including B- and T-cells, which play central roles in immune responses that guard against disease.

A deficiency in this nutrient leads to increased levels of pro-inflammatory molecules that diminish immune system response and function (17Trusted Source). 

SUMMARYVitamin A positively impacts health by keeping oxidative stress in check, boosting your immune system and protecting against certain diseases.

Deficiency 

Though vitamin A deficiency is rare in developed countries like the US, it’s common in developing countries, as these populations may have limited access to food sources of preformed vitamin A and provitamin A carotenoids.

Vitamin A deficiency can lead to severe health complications.

According to the WHO, vitamin A deficiency is the leading cause of preventable blindness in children worldwide.

Vitamin A deficiency also increases the severity and risk of dying from infections like measles and diarrhea (18Trusted Source, 19Trusted Source).

Additionally, vitamin A deficiency raises the risk of anemia and death in pregnant women and negatively impacts the fetus by slowing growth and development (20Trusted Source). 

Less severe symptoms of vitamin A deficiency include skin issues like hyperkeratosis and acne (21Trusted Source, 22Trusted Source).

Certain groups such as premature infants, people with cystic fibrosis and pregnant or breastfeeding women in developing countries are more at risk of vitamin A deficiency (23Trusted Source).

SUMMARYVitamin A deficiency can lead to blindness, increased infection risk, pregnancy complications and skin issues.

Food Sources

There are many dietary sources of both preformed vitamin A and provitamin A carotenoids.

Preformed vitamin A is more readily absorbed and utilized by your body than plant-based sources of provitamin A carotenoids.

Your body’s ability to effectively convert carotenoids, such as beta-carotene, into active vitamin A depends on many factors — including genetics, diet, overall health and medications (24Trusted Source).

For this reason, those who follow plant-based diets — especially vegans — should be vigilant about getting enough carotenoid-rich foods.

Foods highest in preformed vitamin A are:

• Egg yolks
• Beef liver
• Liverwurst
• Butter
• Cod liver oil
• Chicken liver
• Salmon
• Cheddar cheese
• Liver sausage
• King mackerel
• Trout

Foods high in provitamin A carotenoids like beta-carotene include (25, 26):

• Sweet potatoes
• Pumpkin
• Carrots
• Kale
• Spinach
• Dandelion greens
• Cabbage
• Swiss chard
• Red peppers
• Collard greens
• Parsely
• Butternut squash

SUMMARYPreformed vitamin A exists in animal foods like liver, salmon and egg yolks, while provitamin A carotenoids are found in plant foods, including sweet potatoes, kale and cabbage.

Toxicity and Dosage Recommendations

Just as vitamin A deficiency can negatively impact health, getting too much can also be dangerous. 

The recommended daily allowance (RDA) for vitamin A is 900 mcg and 700 mcg per day for men and women, respectively — which can be easily reached by following a whole-foods diet (27). 

However, it's important not to exceed the tolerable upper limit (UL) of 10,000 IU (3,000 mcg) for adults to prevent toxicity (27).

Though it’s possible to consume excessive preformed vitamin A through animal-based sources like liver, toxicity is most commonly linked to excessive supplement intake and treatment with certain medications, such as Isotretinoin (28Trusted Source, 29Trusted Source).

Since vitamin A is fat-soluble, it’s stored in your body and can reach unhealthy levels over time. 

Taking too much vitamin A can lead to serious side effects and can even be fatal if ingested at extremely high doses.

Acute vitamin A toxicity occurs over a short time period when a single, excessively high dose of vitamin A is consumed, while chronic toxicity occurs when doses more than 10 times the RDA are ingested over a longer time span (30Trusted Source).

The most common side effects of chronic vitamin A toxicity — often referred to as hypervitaminosis A — include: 

• Vision disturbances
• Joint and bone pain
• Poor appetite
• Nausea and vomiting
• Sunlight sensitivity
• Hair loss
• Headache
• Dry skin
• Liver damage
• Jaundice
• Delayed growth
• Decreased appetite
• Confusion
• Itchy skin

Though less common than chronic vitamin A toxicity, acute vitamin A toxicity is associated with more severe symptoms, including liver damage, increased cranial pressure and even death (31Trusted Source).

What’s more, vitamin A toxicity can negatively impact maternal and fetal health and may lead to birth defects (32Trusted Source).

To avoid toxicity, steer clear of high-dose vitamin A supplements. 

The UL for vitamin A applies to animal-based food sources of vitamin A, as well as vitamin A supplements.

High intake of dietary carotenoids is not associated with toxicity, though studies link beta-carotene supplements with an increased risk of lung cancer and heart disease in smokers (33Trusted Source).

Since too much vitamin A can be harmful, consult with your doctor before taking vitamin A supplements.

SUMMARYVitamin A toxicity may cause symptoms, such as liver damage, vision disturbances, nausea and even death. High-dose vitamin A supplements should be avoided unless prescribed by your doctor.

The Bottom Line

Vitamin A is a fat-soluble nutrient vital to immune function, eye health, reproduction and fetal development. 

Both deficiency and surplus intake may cause severe side effects, so while it’s crucial to meet the RDA of 700–900 mcg daily for adults, don’t exceed the upper daily limit of 3,000 mcg. 

A healthy, well-balanced diet is a great way to provide your body with a safe amount of this essential nutrient.