What are the differences between Whey and Soy protein, and is one preferred over the other?

It depends on what your goals are. Generally, for muscle mass and strength you would want to go with a whey protein. The whey has a higher biological value than soy, which means gram for gram; you will absorb and retain more nitrogen with whey. This is what is important for most athletes and fitness enthusiasts. However, soy has some other properties that whey does not. Soy can lower LDL cholesterol levels and produce antioxidant effects, among other things. For more information on soy protein, visit http://www.geocities.com/virtuesofsoy/


I just went to http://www.terraillon.com/US/home.htm and checked out their hand-held body fat analyzers - how do these devices work? I've never seen anything like them before.

They work in the same manner as the scales. They send a low voltage electrical current through the body, and use a meter that measures the electrical resistance of the body. Fat is more resistant to electrical flow than is lean tissue. The reason for this is that lean tissue is mostly water, and water contains electrolytes, which conduct electricity very well. Fat repels water and thus does not contain the needed water and dissolved electrolytes to conduct electricity efficiently. A person with a high percentage of fat will have a high resistance to electricity, and thus read less lean on the machine. Along these same lines, one can see why being dehydrated, or overhydrated, can alter the body fat reading measured with these devices.


I have a potential client that has been diagnosed with Fibromyalgia and I am not familiar with this problem. I would like to find out more information about it and maybe some suggestions on how to train this person. Her doctor has been trying to get her to workout and now she is going to give it a try. I would appreciate any help on this.

Fibromyalgia is a complex, chronic condition, which can cause widespread pain and profound fatigue, as well as a variety of other symptoms. Fibromyalgia means pain in the fibrous tissues. It is felt in the skeletal muscles, tendons, and ligaments throughout the body, but at times can actually affect the viscera and smooth muscle tissue. Unlike arthritis, the joints of the body are not directly affected and joint pain and swelling usually are not present. You need to minimize or eliminate the chronic fatigue/pain cycle. Tips for training would be; use heat prior to beginning exercise, use extended and slower warm-ups, progress gradually to higher intensity work, gentle to moderate intensity exercise is well tolerated, avoid high impact, high intensity exercise and modify the exercise when necessary.


Hey, what do you guys think of Tony Gwynn's retirement at the end of this baseball season?

To tell you the truth, we are very broken up about it. The ISSA always has supported athletes as dedicated, hard-working, supportive, inspirational, talented, and compassionate as Tony Gwynn. His positive attitude and incredible dedication to baseball and the San Diego community should be an inspiration to everyone, in every sport. It will be hard to imagine Padres Baseball without Gwynn. The ISSA wishes Tony good luck in his retirement from professional baseball, and in his pursuits of the head baseball coaching position at San Diego State University.