THE EYES HAVE IT!

Just a few thoughts about eyes that were recently written on a site based on health facts.



There are certain unknown facts, although to be able to understand how our eyes function it is necessary to understand a few basic things about our eyes. 


For instance what importance a regular eye check up may have, why do our eyes at times begin to water and why do we blink?




Facts about the Eyes




Doesn't help me when discussing the pros and cons of eye surgery (topic for another time or post perhaps) but there's some interesting stuff on this site.

MEN LESS SUSCEPTIBLE THAN WOMEN TO INFLAMMATORY DISEASES!IT'S ALL DOWN TO TESTOSTERONE!

Men are less susceptible to inflammatory diseases and allergies than women suggests a study by  pharmacists at the Friedrich Schiller University Jena in Germany. 


Read more here:


TESTOSTERONE PROTECTS AGAINST INFLAMMATION


Based on their findings, the Jena pharmacist group concluded that the male sex hormones play a key role in the modulation of the immune response potentially explain another phenomenon that has been previously noted: testosterone can protect men from arteriosclerosis. 


Fascinatingly as is pointed out, new therapies are usually still more often being tested on male volunteers or patients,  but the Jena study indicates now that the results derived from male subjects cannot be immediately transcribed to women. 

MARK CAVENDISH - TOUR DE FORCE

Mark Cavendish's thrilling race to the coveted Green Jersey following the final sprint of the Tour de France for the third year in a row on Sunday placed the rider into the history books as Britain's first winner of a Tour jersey since Scot Robert Millar in 1984, and collected his 20th Tour stage win.






Cavendish had managed to become the first British rider in the history of the race to be crowned winner of the classification based on points awarded for the intermediate and final sprints.


AAs Matt Goss peeled off at the end of the Rue de Rivoli followed by Mark Renshaw angling across the Place de la Concorde only one outcome seemed possible on the Champs-Elysées on Sunday.

Cavendish has been described as a fountain of emotions, but is keen to express his joy in his success whilst giving equal weight to his gratitude towards the HTC‑Highroad team-mates who negotiate the position from which he produces the final burst of deadly acceleration.

He paid particular tribute to Bernie Eisel, the 30-year-old Austrian rider who has been the team's road captain and his room-mate on this Tour. "He's my best friend in the whole world," a typically effusive Cavendish said last week.

"But it's not just Bernie, it's all of the guys," he saidon Sunday night. During his struggles in the mountains, he said, "they could have been having an easier day but instead they're sitting up waiting for me and then towing me up to the gruppetto for the final climb, carrying bidons[water bottles] for me. They got me through this Tour."

To learn a little more of how his team-mates helped plot his route to that glorious finish in central Paris read this insightful article published in advance of the inevitable: 

Inside the Team HTC-Highroad engine room

TRY a TRIATHLON?

Triathlons are BIG news. With patients coming in every week competing or training for triathlons around Britain & Europe, it seems very typical of a fast-growing sport: There are around 350 affiliated triathlon clubs in Great Britain with events on hills or the flats, swimming pools or open water for beginners or seasoned athletes.





If you fancy giving it a go, then you need a base level of fitness. Official websites offer up advice on how to train as the three sporting elements provide a unique challenge in themselves, and planning in most definitely required.


Here's an example : Triathlon Sample Training Guide


It goes without saying that if you don't feel physically able to train but want to, then a consultation with the experts at SPACE could help you fulfil those dreams of competing over sprint or Olympic distance perhaps, and afterwards ease off with a massage to soothe those aching muscles!

PROTEIN DRINKS or ARE YOU WHAT YOU EAT? READ & DECIDE-OR IS THE MEDIA MISLEADING YOU?

Does a new study really demonstrate that protein-based sports drinks do not improve performance? 


Some recent publicity in the media of research published in the next issue of Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise could not show that supplements had a documented greater effect than the intake of protein through a balanced diet.


However, the study paper offers up two views of the athletic values of protein, and ultimately does not offer a definitive review of the use of supplements, and did not feature a conclusion in favour of either argument.


Two researchers presented the two opposing views in adjacent columns. At the end of each review of current research, they wrote their response to the points raised by the other author.


Dr Betts from the University of Bath stated that: "The protein is an important part of our diet, but also athletes who train hard will get more than enough protein from the food they eat. "


Dr Emma Stevenson of Northumbria University however, preferred to comment: " Although the evidence for and against was 'equivocal', adding protein to carbohydrate drinks was not likely to be detrimental to performance." 


As the piece concludes, to reach a consensus it would be necessary to perform a systematic review to critically appraise all studies that have assessed the effects of protein supplementation. These should preferably be randomised controlled trials that compare groups of people who took a protein-supplemented energy drink against those who drank a protein-free energy drink. Such a critical appraisal would need to be systematic, including all relevant studies, regardless of their results.


But these can be costly in terms of duration and money, and seldom media-friendly in these sensational times. In short, it's much easier to opt for headlines over detail, with newspapers such as The Daily Mail & The Independent quoting just the one perspective despite two viewpoints being clearly described.


Not necessarily Bad Science, but more like Badly Reported Science.

SCOTS ATHLETES RISE TO THE OCCASIONS!

What a great weekend for Scottish athletes!


SPACE has had contact and hopefully some effect on some of the athletes competing throughout Europe. Jamie Bowie helped GB clinch gold today in Ostrava in Czech Republic in the men's 4x400m relay! His split of 45.33 was excellent in the final winning time of 3:03.53 as the squad led from start to finish.

“After losing out on a medal two years ago we’ve come back stronger and hungrier,” added Bowie.

At Scotstoun, the Scottish National Senior Championships took place. Stacy Downie had a great couple of days clinching the 100m title in 11.88, and finished runner-up to Lee McConnell in the 200m with a terrific time of 23.88. 

And two old-SPACE favourites pulled out all the stops in the hammer. Andy Frost won the men's event with a throw of 69.98m, whilst Susan won her fifth National title with a throw of 63.32m. 

WELL DONE TO ALL WHOM COMPETED, AND PARTICULAR CONGRATULATIONS TO THE WINNERS OVER THIS WEEKEND, AND TO THOSE WHO MANAGED PERSONAL BESTS-

LYNSEY SHARP WE SALUTE YOU FOR THE 2ND FASTEST SCOTS 800m RUN OF ALL TIME!