Coconut Water & Your Core

Coconut Water

The benefits of coconut water are numerous. Drinking coconut water is refreshing and amazingly healthy for our body. It is 100% made by nature from water filtering through the husk. Not only is it organic but it’s one of nature’s purest inventions.

The water is 100% sterile, fat and cholesterol free contains half as much sodium as conventional sport drinks and is a great source of potassium. Drinking it every day will boost your blood circulation and improve your metabolism. It cleanses your internal organs particularly the digestive tract and helps process food easily.

Coconut water is a great remedy drink. For those people who are suffering with kidney problems such as kidney stones and even Urinary Tract Infection, coconut water can help with a cure. Coconut water helps with those suffering from the flu. The flu causes dehydration, stomach pain, nausea and aching all over the body. Coconut water will rehydrate your body. It also has lauric acid, a mineral that benefits you while you have the flu because it helps alleviate the stomach irritation that accompanies the virus.

After a workout, coconut water should be the drink you pick to replenish the fluids that have been consumed by sweating. Drinking coconut water is a favorable choice to nourish and reload a stressed body. Staying hydrated keeps your body operating at maximum efficiency. Dehydration can let your body’s guard down and weaken your immune system. The water from coconuts prevents this because it’s a great supply of electrolytes. An 8.5 oz portion has 15 times more potassium than competing sports drinks. It’s also 1 of 5 main electrolytes your body uses to replace, and retain the fluids needed to operate at full capacity.

 

Coconut water is a great detoxification agent. It helps your system increase its circulation. Better circulation allows for better oxygen flow, to support the body’s cells and organs. There are two ways that increased circulation helps keep your blood clean. First, the liver is the organ that helps clean our blood. With better oxygen flow to the liver, you’ll have a stronger, healthier liver. Second, because it’ll be able to function better, and operate more efficiently, it’ll clean your blood better. Because your organs will be operating more effectively, some of the toxins they contain will also be excreted out, detoxing your body.

Clear skin and a stronger immune system are also rewards of a less polluted body. In addition to helping your body fight disease and sickness with a stronger immune system. Doctors also say it has antiviral properties that fight cancer.

Top Benefits of Coconut Water

1.   It speeds up your metabolism, helping with your health and fitness.

2.   Detoxification of your body.

3.   Contains only 5mg of natural sugar.

4.   Balances your body’s PH.

5.   Balances your thyroid

6.   Helps fight off diseases, infections and removes toxins.

Are Planks Better Than Crunches for Abdominal Strength?

Planks and crunches both work core muscles; however, the plank uses more muscles overall than the crunch does. These two core exercises use different types of muscle contractions, which can shape the muscles differently. Also, an exerciser with core weakness or joint limitations may struggle attempting the plank. There are benefits and drawbacks to both crunches and planks.

Benefits of the Plank

The plank is superior to the crunch in that it uses more muscle groups. This is true if you perform it correctly. Perform the plank on the balls of your feet and with your pelvis tilted downward to actively solicit 20 muscles in an isometric contraction. In isometric exercise, the muscles are held in contraction without motion in your joints. The benefit of isometric contractions is that you tone without bulking. This exercise provides you with strength in your legs, buttocks, back, stomach, shoulders and chest. Most importantly, strengthening your core stabilizes your spine, and your spine's health is vital to your overall health.

Drawbacks of the Plank

Joint limitations of the elbows, shoulders and feet can negatively affect your ability to correctly hold a plank position. If you are out of correct position, then you have compromised the effectiveness of the plank exercise. Furthermore, if you are weak in your abdomen and sag through your lower back while holding a plank, you have lost the toning of your core, the very thing you are trying to obtain. Because the plank uses isometric muscle contraction, it provides core muscle tone but does not provide as much muscle definition. The plank would not be your first choice if muscle definition is your goal.

Benefits of Crunches

Crunches solicit six main core muscles of the abdomen and legs -- seven if you are able to scoop your navel to your spine throughout the motion. The crunch is user-friendly because it can be modified to meet the needs of each individual. For instance, you can simultaneously lift your pelvis and torso to engage the lower muscle fibers of your abdomen. Add a medicine ball, held to your chest, for additional overload and enhanced muscular strength. Furthermore, the upward motion of your torso in a crunch is a concentric contraction: The muscle shortens during the action. The downward motion of your torso — if your torso is lowered slowly — is an eccentric muscle contraction: The muscle lengthens while under contraction. This type of muscle work produces more muscle definition; for some individuals, that would make the crunch exercise superior.

Drawbacks of Crunches

Crunches do not actively engage opposing muscle groups like the plank does. The crunch works your tummy and not your back. The health of your core and spine require strength in both. Therefore, if you are doing crunches, you need to perform an additional back exercise to receive similar core benefits. Another disadvantage of crunches is that they engage only six to seven muscles, while the plank engages 20 muscles. Crunches can be used as a progressive exercise to the plank. Then these two exercises would complement each other.