Fortunately for them, they have a whole staff of physicians and practitioners taking care of them and keeping them in peak performing condition — including acupuncturists.

Acupuncture, acupressure and cupping already have a long history of helping Olympic athletes reach the best possible conditioning pre-Olympics and pre-event, as well as helping them recover faster and feel better following rugged competition.

As described in the AP article, Athletes in Nagano Using Acupuncture to Cure Their Ills, Canadian speedskater Kevin Overland used acupuncture to recover from an injured hip and went home with a bronze medal. Hockey superstar Jaromir Jagr was able to overcome chronic groin injuries in time to represent the Czech Republic in Japan. The list goes on and on.

Athletes utilizing acupuncture recover from soreness and fatigue faster, feel stronger, are less emotionally stressed and feel more balanced, just to name a few benefits. Focus and balance (both energetically and physically) are as important and physical performance in so many Olympic sports.

Acupuncture & The Beijing Olympic Games

Chinese Olympic swimmer Wang Qun warms up for a race following a cupping treatment.

Acupuncture was highlighted prominently during NBC’s coverage of the 2008 Summer Games in Beijing. That was in part because of how totally integrated sports medicine and acupuncture are for that host nation and in part because acupuncture was offered free to athletes and officials in the Olympic Village throughout the Games.

NBC’s Olympic coverage that summer also featured the well-documented story of New York Times reporter James Reston, who in 1971 was in China for President Nixon’s famous trip and while there needed an emergency appendectomy. For his post-operative pain he received acupuncture rather than intense painkillers, which was a revelation for Reston in its approach and effectiveness. Once Reston returned to the States, he wrote in The Times about his experiences, and that reporting became one of the primary gateways for acupuncture into Western society.

Now the presence of acupuncture is being felt across Canada as part of host Vancouver’s Winter Games. Photos are popping up on Flickr and articles are being written for local and national publications with athletes raving about the benefits of acupuncture treatments. Let’s hope that “The True North Strong and Free” is feeling the positive effects of acupuncture long after the Games leave.

Well, collagen is the most abundant fibrous protein in the human body. Up to 30 percent of all protein in the body is collagen and up to 70 percent of the proteins in the connective tissues are composed of collagen. It is made up of specialized cells in the skin, ligaments, bones and cartilage and is amazing stuff that will smooth your skin and support your body.

Here are just some of the benefits:

• Anti-aging – provides positive nitrogen balance, which is important in the nutritional support of age related degeneration. It is an excellent food product for individuals with a sedentary lifestyle
• Inflammation – helpful nutritional support for individuals predisposed to repetitive joint injury, pain and muscle discomfort
• Musculoskeletal injuries – helps supply nutritional materials for cell repair.
• Skin tone – by providing critical nutrients it helps support skin strength and texture.  Healthy skin retains moisture better and is more elastic and less prone to develop fine lines and wrinkles.
• Hair condition – provides nutritional support for hair
• Nail strength – provides the building blocks for nails
• Muscle tone, strength and metabolism – are supported, especially for athletes

Long term effects of collagen include: reduced pain, improved sleep, support of repair of musculoskeletal injuries, reduced inflammation, improved hydration of connective tissues of the body, improved joint flexibility, improved signal induction, improved cellular calcium uptake and increased metabolic rate.

How Does it Work?

The body’s natural ability to repair supporting connective tissue (bone, joints, cartilage, tendons, ligaments, skin, hair and nails) and maintain hydration of the cells diminishes after age 25. Hydrolyzed collagen provides the missing link in supplying additional amounts of amino acids like glycine, lysine and proline, which are specifically needed by the body to build connective tissue structures and to regulate the functions of the cells.

Who Created This Product?

California nutritionist Dr. Bernd Friedlander worked with the 1984 U.S. Olympic Team and professional athletes from the Los Angeles Rams (now St. Louis Rams) and Oakland Raiders. He is well known for his intuitive chiropractic work as well as his nutritional formulas. He is a frequent speaker at the annual New Living EXPO in San Francisco.

A Healthy & Happy New Year

We’re extremely excited about this addition to the ways we can help our patients feel better and have a higher quality of life over the long term. Our collagen peptide products are easily assimilated and absorbed by the body, and they’re ready for purchase today!

So, we wish you happy holidays and a New Year of great health. Please call us or stop in so we can help you have a healthy and prosperous 2010.