This is a new section consisting of some very good questions and their answers as fielded by the ISSA technical support team over the past two weeks. ENJOY!



1) My coach told me that I can improve my athletic performance by simply "imagining" myself performing successfully at my sport. Is this possible?

Mental imagery is a powerful tool to improve athletic performance. Scientific evidence has proven that "imagining" yourself performing a motor skill that you wish to improve will help you improve at the skill in actual practice. Like anything, imaging skills become more and more powerful with practice. The most important part of the process is not to just "visualize" the process in your head, but to "feel" yourself performing the movement. This is called kinesthetic sense, and is best stimulated by focusing your attention on the position and movements of the body above all else during the imagery process. There are a number of books available on the subject to help you learn more about the powerful tool of mental imagery.


2) I am a 55-year-old man. My father had prostate cancer at this same time in his life. What simple change can I make to help prevent this from happening to me?

If you enjoy tomatoes and eat them on a regular basis, you might be seeing a 21 – 34% reduced chance of prostate cancer – according to a Harvard review on lycopene. Based on past epidemiological research, Giovannucci, re-clarified the healthy role of a diet high in fruit and vegetable consumption; particularly in tomatoes and tomato-based products.

Lycopene is credited for the red color in may foods: particularly tomatoes, pink grapefruit, papaya, guava, and watermelon. It is a carotenoid and a strong antioxidant. Also, lycopene may enhance expression of the RB gene, a typical anti-oncogene.

Studies have concluded for years that the correlation of tomato consumption and decreased cancer risk is significant. Knowing this, it is reasonable to assert that we should include some tomato-based products in our diets on a regular basis.

3) I have fibromyalgia and some aches in my joints. The owner of the health food store I shop at recommended SAM-e. What is it and will it help my condition?

SAM-e, which is short for S-anenosylmethionine, has been touted to help conditions like fibromyalgia, osteoarthritis, and depression to name a few. Studies suggest that it may also help alcohol-damaged livers, migraine headaches, and even Alzheimer’s disease.

SAM-e is a compound found in virtually all living cells and is a key player in a process called methylation that affects more than 100 complex biochemical reactions in the body. SAM-e helps regulate hormones, cell membranes, and the neurotransmitters (such as serotonin) which affect mood. SAM-e also contributes to the building blocks for cartilage and is involved in making glutathione, which the liver uses to remove poisons such as alcohol. It is made by our bodies from the amino acid methionine and the energy-producing compound ATP, and plays a key role in producing neurotransmitters in many basic biochemical processes that regulate cell structure and function.

Our bodies usually make all the SAM-e we need. But the level of SAM-e decreases as we age, and levels are low in those who are depressed or who have deficiencies of B vitamins or methionine, says Teodore Bottoglieri, Ph.D., a neuropharmacologist at the Baylor Insitute of Metabolic Diseases in Dallas.

For osteoarthritis and fibromyalgia, you may need to experiment to find the right dose, so be sure to make notes about how much you are taking. For Osteoarthritis pain, start with 800 mg per day, taken in two doses. For fibromyalgia, start at a much lower dose and add to it gradually. It is suggested that you start with 200 mg per day and then add 200 mg each week, leveling out at about 800 mg per day.

Also consider taking B vitamins. Taking 800 mcg of folic acid and 1000 mcg of B-12 daily along with SAM-e may help your body utilize the compound.

Although it has been in use for 20 years, few rheumatologist know enough about SAM-e or its research to be able to advise you because nobody really knows the exact appropriate dose. Furthermore, SAM-e is not a cure. You have to keep taking it to get the effects, and it can be expensive. SAM-e costs between $60 to $230 per month, depending on the amount taken, and it is not covered by insurance.

Always be sure to talk to your doctor before taking any nutritional supplements or over-the-counter medications.