Running Foot Care Tips From Compeed!

Of all the ways to keep fit, running has to be one of the most rewarding. Not only is it free, but it also makes you explore the great outdoors, and constantly challenges you to better your performance in terms of timing and endurance. Whether you’re running for fun, to improve your general fitness, or training for a marathon, it’s important to set realistic goals and take care of your body. Runners, perhaps more than any other sportspeople, know exactly how painful bruised toenails and blisters can be, and how common foot afflictions can easily hamper their performance, speed and general enjoyment of the sport.

Foot care for athletes and runners

A common concern for athletes and runners is blister prevention. The friction of socks and trainers rubbing against your skin causes blisters, which can be extremely painful. Blisters are essentially your body’s defence against further damage, with a fluid-filled sac forming to protect the vulnerable tissue underneath.

Unfortunately a number of issues can exacerbate blisters in running and related sports, such as an increased pace, badly fitting trainers and bunions. Furthermore, heat and the moisture from your sweat can make your feet swell, thereby changing the fit of your shoes. Tips to avoid blisters include:

• Make sure you have the correct trainers for your feet and sport. Experts advise that different shoes are needed for different terrain, and it is vitally important that your trainers fit both in normal conditions and when your feet are slightly swollen from exertion.
• Wear two pairs of thin socks, so that the friction occurs between the socks rather than on your skin, or try blister-free socks.
• Keep your feet lubricated with a preventative product like Compeed Anti-Blister Stick which helps prevent chafing and can be applied prior to embarking on any exercise.

Effective sports blister treatment

In the event you do get a blister, the makers of COMPEED^® offer a comprehensive range of blister plasters to suit different areas of your feet, from toes to underfoot and heels. The plasters all offer instant pain relief, form a protective cushion and allow optimum healing conditions. They come in both small and medium sizes, with a special Blister Mix  pack providing a selection that can always be on stand-by in your first aid kit or gym bag.

Top Tips To Get Your Summer Off To Running Start

With the upcoming Viking Marathon approaching it is time to start preparing for the big run, whether you’re a beginner or not.. don’t worry…  we are here to provide the best tips to make it fun and enjoyable for all.

1.Magnesium

 This will be your best friend and a very important supplement for any athlete who plans on participating in this year’s Viking Marathon. Magnesium plays a role in the normal function of your muscles. As exercise can also lead to a loss of magnesium in sweat it is important to get just enough. A small deficiency in this may reduce performance and increase stress on the body.

SOS Health Athletes Magnesium Spray Oil prevents cramps and relieves them fast while also helping to warm muscles, increase their working capacity and lessens the risk of muscle injury.

PharmaNord BioActive Magnesium supports proper function of nerves and muscles, including the heart. Bio-Magnesium is a highly absorbable magnesium supplement with three potent magnesium sources.

We have 20% off Our PharmaNord Magnesium 60 Day Branded Packs in-store now!

2.Stay Hydrated

 Not just on the day of the race but in the lead up to it also. Don’t let dehydration or fatigue hold you back. Try drink plenty water in the lead up to the day and especially on the day of the marathon. Multivitamin and rehydration drinks are also an excellent source of the electrolytes and nutrients you will need.

Oxylent Multivitamin Drinks has a range of benefits from:

• Immune System Support
• Help Reduce Fatigue & Release Energy
• Heart & Muscle Function Support
• Help Protect Against Oxidative Stress
• Help Support Mental Clarity

3.Vitamin D

Vitamin D is also another important component of any athlete’s diet. It is known for its role in maintaining bone health and for the absorption of calcium into the body.

4.Enjoy, have fun and listen to your body!

5 Ways Men Can Manage Their Health

With this week being  ‘Men’s Health Week’, we wanted to help all men out there boost and manage their health, to look good and feel great! With that in mind, we’ve put together a list of ways to help men put their health first!

1.Have Regular Check-ups With Your Dr (Even If You Feel Ok)

One of the best ways men can manage their health is to have regular check-ups with their GP (regardless of age or health concerns). This should involve blood tests, glucose tests, etc.

2.Know Your Family History

If one of your parents had a history of hypertension, heart problems or other health concerns, you may be at a higher risk of developing these conditions yourself. Be sure to discuss this with your Dr, who can help you improve and manage your health to try and avoid serious health problems.

3.Exercise

Ideally you should have some sort of physical activity daily. Whether that’s going for a brisk walk, run or taking part in a sport you enjoy. Exercise can be a great boost to your health, both physical and mental.

4.Quit Smoking

Talk to your Dr or local pharmacists about advice on how to quit smoking. Smoking can cause serious health problems such as stroke, heart disease and more. If you want to take  the first steps to quitting smoking, click here!

5.Take Time For Yourself

Whether it is sitting down to watch your favourite series on Netflix, catching up with friends or simple sitting in a quite room and reading a book, taking time out for yourself is a great way to unwind and destress after a busy day. This is a great way to take care of your mental health!

If you have any health queries that you would like to discuss, call in and chat to any of our expert pharmacists!

Why Hydration Is Key For Athletic Stamina

The Role of Hydration in Athletic Stamina 

Maintaining hydration levels is a vital part of our well-being. When we push our bodies and minds to the limit, the need to stay hydrated increases. It has been shown that when exercising in a hot environment, dehydration by only 2% of body mass reduces our level of performance and makes us more susceptible to suffering from heat-related injuries. By negating our hydration, we are actively making a decision to perform at a lower level and to risk overall injury.

The reality of exercise and sport, however, is that it is not always easy to maintain our hydration levels. Yes, at times, we can sense that we are dehydrated and that we need to rehydrate, but the opportunity to do so does not always present itself. If we are playing a team sport, there needs to be a break in the game for us to get a drink, which is often only a short opportunity. If we are running a marathon there are water stations, sure, but to stay fully hydrated is water alone enough? The reality of sport is that hydration levels can be challenging to maintain, regardless of the athletic activity.

What is Sustamine®?

Sustamine® is a unique, revolutionary dipeptide form of L-Glutamine and is designed to be ingested in energy drinks, nutritional bars, yogurts and dietary supplements. It is taste-free, odor-free, allergen-free and Kosher. Sustamine® consists of L-Alanyl-L-Glutamine, which means it offers a combination of pure L-Glutamine to support muscle protein synthesis and L-Alanine to help rebuild glycogen stores. More than half of the body’s free amino acid pool consists of glutamine. It is able to limit intestinal permeability and reduce gut atrophy by being involved in many metabolic and synthetic biochemical processes.

In order for substances and nutrients to be absorbed by the body when they are ingested, it is necessary for them to pass through the intestinal barrier. If this barrier is performing optimally, it will act as a sieve to allow the substances to pass through. Glutamine has been shown to help the body maintain the physiologic intestinal barrier when there are stresses acting on the body. These stresses, whether as a result of mental or physical exertion in the form of exercise or illness, have the potential to lower this level. This makes us more susceptible to infections. Sustamine® provides the body with L-Glutamine to help maintain this barrier at peak condition. Sustamine® has also been shown to be better absorbed within the gut than a pure dose of glutamine alone, meaning the body is able to take on more glutamine when it is supplied as Sustamine®.

The Many Benefits of Sustamine®

Another significant benefit of Sustamine®’s ability to support the intestinal barrier is that the immune system is strengthened. Further links between Sustamine® and warding off exhaustion have also been made. By reducing your level of exhaustion, you enable your body to allot more energy, if needed, towards overall immunity.

Investigations on L-Alanyl-L-Glutamine’s ability to positively influence hydration and support the performance levels of athletes has been thoroughly examined. A paper in 2010 showed that time to exhaustion was increased through the provision of a significant ergogenic benefit from Sustamine® supplementation. This effect was deemed to be likely as a result of the enhanced fluid and electrolyte uptake that the L-Alanine-L-Glutamine provided. Another study conducted on basketball players showed rehydration levels from Sustamine® supplementation supported skill performance and visual reaction time better than water alone.

Further links on performance have also been made between Sustamine® and reducing muscle protein breakdown after resistance exercise and supporting athlete reaction times during endurance exercise.

Summary of Sustamine®’s Sport Performance/Health Benefits:

• Supports Muscle Protein Synthesis†
• Supports Glycogen Store Replenishment†
• Supports Hydration Levels†
• Supports Recovery from Exercise†
• Supports Athletic Performance†
• Supports Overall Immunity†
• Optimal Absorption through Sport Oxylent®’s Effervescence Delivery†

What Runners Need To Know About Vitamin D

Vitamin D is an important nutrient for runners, and here’s what you should know it’s health impacts and dietary sources.

Many people often assume they are getting enough Vitamin D, however living in Ireland where it feels like we rarely see the sun, many people can be deficient in Vitamin D.

Vitamin D plays an important role in the fitness of runners and it can play an important role in increasing your performance and improving your immune function.

The Science Behind Vitamin D

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that be be obtained from food, supplements and sun exposure. The liver and kidneys then help to cover the vitamin to its active form, which is most known for its regulation of calcium and promotion of bone mineralisation.

However, vitamin D also influences cell growth and neuromuscular and immune function.

So…. how can vitamin D aid in our running performance?

Bone Strength

While running marathons, we demand a lot form our bodies,  especially while running downhill, impact forces can increase to over 50%. If you multiple this by how many kilometres you are running, you can understand the stress facing your feet, shins and femurs.

Quite a lot of research has connected deficient vitamin D levels to bone-stress injuries. It is recommended while training for a marathon to increase your levels of vitamin D to avoid injuries.

Athletic Performance

We all strive to either run faster or for a longer amount of time. Vitamin D could play a role in improving sports performance. While vitamin D deficiency can cause muscle weakness and pain, this can in turn help you increase your athletic performance.

Vitamin D Recommendations

Chocolate Milk and Other Food Sources

There are very few food sources that contain natural vitamin D. Fatty fish such as salmon, swordfish, trout and mackerel contain it, as do egg yolks and mushrooms. Canned Tuna is also a great source too!

Sun Exposure

Sun exposure is one of the best ways to get natural vitamin D into your body. However this comes with a set of variables that may affect you, such as skin type, depending on your skin type, you may need to protect your skin from the potentially harmful rays of the sun, however this may decrease the amount of vitamin D you absorb. Cloud coverage, time of day, location and season also have an impact on this.

Supplements

SOS Health D3000 Oral Vitamin D Spray delivers 3000 I.U. of Vitamin D3 directly to the bloodstream for optimal absorption. The sublingual spray bypasses the digestive system, unlike capsules or tablets. It is also an easier and more convenient way to get your daily dose of vitamin D.