Yenny Polanco

A personal trainer superstar, Figure and Fitness champion, NPC Team Universe Fitness championships 2009 and qualitifed for Olympia in her first IFBB show!

Recently, I have been struggling somewhat with fatigue and lack of motivation. These issues tend to creep up on me from time to time, and I’m sure they’re associated with my lifelong troubles getting deep restful sleep.

I’ve found, through research and my own trial-and-error, that essential amino acids and other nutrients are important to balance my mind and body, and to help me perform at my best.

Eating right and exercising are crucial to great health as we know, but are not always enough to take us to our highest potential. In today’s world of fast foods, preservatives, colorings, trans fats, sugars and other adulterations to our food supply - we often need a little help in the form of nutritional supplements. How many servings of fresh vegetables do you eat each day? How about fruits? Yes - I believe it is important that we supplement our diets - no matter how good we think they are.

But there are literally many hundreds of supplements on the market, from dozens and dozens of manufacturers. So how do you know what to take? What are your body’s particular needs?
There are many options. Limitless books - some good, some not so good - have been written by nutritionists, body builders, physiologists and other fitness professionals. Online blogs are available. A physical with routine blood work is a basic starting point which will reveal some important baseline information.

It is my great fortune that my chiropractor’s specialty is Applied Kinesiology!
The body communicates via electrical and chemical pathways. Using manual muscle testing, an accomplished Applied Kinesiologist can access nervous system information related to patients’ endocrine, digestive, immune, cell detox and other systems.

Nutritional missing links can be determined from this. I am regularly amazed and delighted by the help that “Dr. J” continues to be able to provide me - not only chiropractically, but by determining certain specific holes in my nutritional regimen.

If you are lucky enough to have a certified Applied Kinesiologist in your area, I suggest that you consider paying him/her a visit. (Search members of International College of Applied Kinesiology -- www.icakusa.com).

Heavy training and strict dieting is a year-round job for me as a Professional Fitness Athlete. It is extremely stressful on my body and mind. The final
weeks of preparation for each show are especially taxing.

I can fully appreciate that the stresses on busy moms who are taking care of all the needs of their families; and on working people of all kinds performing their duties day after day, is every bit as tough -- in a different kind of way. Yes - living our lives in a hectic world can be difficult enough to make anyone feel overwhelmed at times.

Being an Athlete and Fitness Coach is not even enough for me to feel my best at all times. I know very well how exercise and clean diet affects the way I feel and function. But everyone can use some outside help now and then, and believe me you’ll be doing yourself a lot of good by seeking it when you need it.

With Dr. J’s help, I am on my way to sleeping better again, to fixing my body’s aches, and I am now taking several specific supplements which, to my surprise, I was lacking.

I have added 5 new amino acids to the big cabinet of supplements I take. It looks as if I am getting ready to start selling on Ebay! That’s how many bottles of supplements I have.

 I am not presently using ALL of them of course. Remember, the body is dynamic. It’s needs vary, depending on our changing day to day, month to month stresses.
I know that few people even come close to getting the broad spectrum of nutrients they require to help them feel their best both mentally and physically.

I list here some supplements which I am presently taking after evaluation by my chiropractor/applied kinesiologist. Again, I remind you that each person has individual physiological holes to fill.
I offer these as just a general overview of some supplements that have helped me, and which might be helpful to you…

If you are taking good care of yourself - eating right, exercising, and taking the right nutrients, but you are still not feeling your best, then it may be time to seek professional help. Sometimes the problem could be neurological. There could be a chemical imbalance in the brain. In certain cases, this problem may require prescription medication to correct. I know. I know. I know!! No one wants to take meds! But trust me, if there is a serious problem you’ll be doing yourself and your loved ones a big favor.
If you do happen to have a chemical imbalance -- low levels of Serotonin, for instance -- you could be feeling depressed. You may have been feeling depressed for a very long time, without even realizing that you had a problem.

Sometimes the amino acid L-Tryptophan, an important building block for this neurotransmitter, is in short supply, and supplementation may help. There are a number of other possible reasons for Serotonin to be in short supply, but in case nutritional intervention just doesn’t fill the bill, you may need a prescription drug to increase your levels.

So if you’re feeling blue and want to help yourself to feel your best and look your best, try to do the following:

Start by eating right -- Reduce sugar: avoid sweets and sugar high drinks such as: cakes, cookies, and soda of any kind.

And remember -- there is nothing wrong with being assertive and taking care of yourself. After all, if you are not feeling your best - how can you expect to take care of your loved ones and perform your best at work and at home?

All the best!
Yenny:)