Pearls of Wisdom

Kombucha (pronounced kom-bu-cha) is a fermented tea that has long been used as a tonic or elixir that brings about better health and wellness.  The earliest documentation of kombucha being used dates back as far as the Chin Dynasty in ancient China around 221 BC.  However there are many other cultures around the world that have long used kombucha including Mongolia, India, Japan and Russia!  Sometimes mistaken for a mushroom, kombucha is a probiotic culture that is rich in B-vitamins, enzymes and amino acids.  The drink is usually made by combining tea, sugar and the kombucha culture.  As the fermentation process takes place, what you are left with is a drink that is rich in essential nutrients and low in sugar.  Here are some of the many benefits of drinking kombucha:

1.  Kombucha is rich source of healthy probiotics.  Probiotics or healthy bacteria can be obtained by eating fermented foods like yogurt, kefir, miso and kimchee.  These beneficial bacteria aid in digestion and promote overall well being.

2.  Kombucha has long been used for it’s detoxifying effects.  The beneficial amino acids in kombucha include acetic, glucuronic, lactic and malic acids.  These compounds have been shown to promote healthy liver function.

3.  Kombucha contains live enzymes.  Enzymes are essential for normal metabolic function.  There are literally thousands of different enzymes at work in our bodies.  The malfunction of just one enzyme can lead to chronic disease and illness.

4.  Rich in antioxidants.  Kombucha contains a wide variety of polyphenols or plant antioxidants.  Antioxidants fight off the stress caused by free radicals.  Free radicals are largely responsible for the aging process.

5.  Kombucha is a great alternative to drinking soda.  Low in sugar, but rich in flavor, kombucha is lightly carbonated due to the fermentation process.  The best part about kombucha is that it is available at your local health food store like Henry’s or Whole Foods!

Most martial artists are always seeking to find a balance between speed, strength, endurance, and flexibility.  Whether you are a San Da fighter (kung fu), Jiu Jitsu stylist or traditional Karateka, conditioning plays a huge role in the development of your overall skill level.

When it comes to conditioning, there are as many different kinds of exercises as there are martial arts (that’s a lot!)  I’m sure that you have heard it all before.  ”Do strength training one day and endurance training the next, and oh don’t forget to stretch!”  The problems with this isolation approach is that it fails to utilize and train the entire body as one cohesive unit.  Running for example, will build cardiovascular endurance but generally fails to build strength and lean muscle mass in the rest of the body.  Look at the physiques of long distance runners as an example.  Weight training although good for building muscle is notorious for building bad joints and restricting flexibility.

Traditional martial artists have been using body weight exercises for generations to simultaneously build strength, endurance and flexibility.  Take as an example a regular push up.

1. Builds strength & lean muscle mass
2. Integrates more muscle fiber than a weight machine or free weights by relying on supporting muscle groups for stability
3. Builds core body strength
4. Can give you a cardiovascular workout when performed with high repetitions
5. Enhances flexibility and makes stronger joints
6. Does not require expensive equipment or access to a gym

The young do not know enough to be prudent, and therefore they attempt the impossible, and achieve it, generation after generation.

-Pearl S. Buck

Nobody grows old by living a number of years.  We grow old by deserting our ideals.  Years may wrinkle the skin, but to give up enthusiasm wrinkles the soul.

-Samuel Ullman

In the end, it’s not the years in your life that count.  It’s the life in your years.

-Abraham Lincoln