Dr Mel Siff Blog

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<I have recently had a number of clients who have been visiting a clinic in
Switzerland to drink ‘Oxygenated Water’. One client has even installed a
special ‘tank’ which provides them with a constant supply. As far as I am
aware, there has not been any conclusive evidence for this form of
treatment, but perhaps someone on the list has had some firsthand experience
of it. I would greatly appreciate any references, reading or literature in
this regard, in particular the rationale behind why one would use it.>

*** Dr Yessis wrote about “oxygenated” water on our list several months ago,
but I cannot recall having seen any peer-reviewed papers on its use.

<I am especially concerned, as the claims made (useful in Cancer treatment,
Heart Disease?) are fairly ambitious. Read more…

Dr Mel Siff critiques an endurance training article who are allegedly quoting Russian research to support their views – go Mel!

http://www.zdorovye.com/zdorovye/slavyanskiy.html

This is an extract from that site:

<The Russian Spetsnaz trainers to prepare their operatives for ultra-distance
physical extremes is the arcane endurance running technology called
‘Slavyanskiy Byeg’and the total health system: ‘Zdorovye’.

In ‘Slavyanskiy Byeg’ you will learn to coordinate your Carriage and Gait -
which is the process of integrating movement, alignment, and breathing. You
will learn how to virtually run indefinitely – without discomfort and expending
minimal energy. This running methodic teaches you how to wind your body like a
rubber band driven air-plane, using the ligaments and tendons in your body as
your engine, instead of using your large muscles. This is the most amazing
fitness technology ever to be released! >

***While I fully appreciate a great deal of former soviet strength and sports
training as a result of visiting Russia on a few occasions and collaborating
with some of the scientists from that country, I have always been intrigued
why Russian endurance athletes very rarely have matched the achievement of
endurance athletes from Africa, especially those from Kenya. Their dominance
of endurance running has also been a matter of great interest for some
Russian scientists who have been studying these African endurance masters to
ascertain why the Africans generally are far superior to most Russian
endurance runners, but the reasons for their excellence still remain a matter
of a great deal of speculation.

The remarkable endurance of the Khoi and San (‘Bushmen’) peoples in extremely
hot desert conditions with no access to exercise science, special foods or
energy replacement fluids is another case of African folk being remarkably
competent. Herein also lies another fascinating lesson that still has to be
dissected adequately.

While many of the Russian methods of training can be very productive and
effective, would this not seem to indicate that we should be turning to
Africa to learn the greatest secrets of endurance athleticism? Would anyone
like to suggest reasons for why African endurance athletes are currently so
dominant? What secrets could they teach the Russians and indeed, the rest of
us?

Is it due to a state of body, a state of mind, genetics, environment,
national outlook or what? This issue has been the topic of an increasing
amount of research and some popular articles and books have been written on
this subject, but none really has taken us much beyond the theories of
genetic superiority or environmental influences.

Here are a few websites which relate to this issue:

http://www.umist.ac.uk/UMIST_Sport/2_art2.htm
http://www.runnersworld.com/dailynew/archives/1998/February/980224.html
http://www.intellectualcapital.com/issues/issue353/item8676.asp

Dr Mel Siff