Archives October 2020

Farewell sessions for our 4th grade nursing students at UCJC

From the department of the nursing degree of the Camilo José Cela University, yesterday, June 15, an online farewell session was organized for the 4th grade students of Nursing. The Covid-19 situation has not allowed us to carry out this act in person, however, even remotely, we are all connected.

We had the opportunity to enjoy the presence of the director of nursing at Hospital Virgen del Mar, Esther Fernández . Esther, encouraged our already graduated nurses, to continue discovering what it is to be a nurse. He shared his personal experience, how he came to nursing management, and how he continues to be passionate about caring for the patient and collaborating with his colleagues.

Later, we were able to count on the presence of Sara Gasco from CODEM (official nursing school of Madrid). He spoke of his performance in the management of this pandemic caused by the coronavirus in the community of Madrid. The role of humanization in nursing care was emphasized.

Sara Gasco explained the registration process. Let us remember that nurses must be registered to work (national law since 97). It was indicated that all the procedures of the association can be carried out online , this year with greater reason to avoid possible infections. He pointed out that until the end of June the entry fee has been canceled. Membership includes: the civil liability policy, continuing training for courses and conferences, an assault policy that includes a 24-hour phone number to consult, labor and legal advice …

The students were able to ask questions about their membership, and Sara herself answered all of them. These types of doubts are common since they have not carried out this procedure before, so we believe that it is necessary to have a first contact before entering the world of work, so that doubts can be resolved.

By way of farewell, Professor Raquel Moreno , was in charge of organizing an emotional video, which made more than one cry, here are some of the quotes:

“We hope that each and every one of you will work in the unit that you like the most and never forget to take care of yourself”

“don’t listen to the sellers of fear”

“we are not heroes, we are people, but with impeccable ethics”

Students who have graduated this year will always remember: the year of the Covid-19 pandemic, the bicentennial of Florence Nightingale. They have become stronger in the face of adversity, they have faced this new stage with strength, perhaps this pandemic has supported the visibility of nursing. We know that they have been empowered in care work, that they have learned from this crisis and we encourage them to continue learning and continue training.

For the teachers, it has been very enriching to be able to collaborate in their training, all the teachers of the degree dedicated a few words to the students and finally we are left with this beautiful quote:

“The Camilo José Cela University is and will be your home, we are willing to help you in everything, you stop being students to be classmates”

Everything you need to know about creatine

creatin is one of the most used supplements in the world of bodybuilding, sometimes much more than protein powder. There are numerous evidence-backed studies supporting the efficacy of creatine supplementation (some perhaps a bit exaggerated). For the majority of the population, including elite bodybuilders and untrained individuals, creatine supplementation increases muscle mass and improves anaerobic and aerobic performance.

What is creatine and what does it work for?

I will explain a little what creatine is scientifically since it is the only way to understand what it is for …

Creatine is a natural component of meat, mainly in red meat. Creatine is made naturally in the body through the amino acids glycine, arginine, and methionine. This process takes place in the kidneys, liver, and pancreas.

Propiedades y beneficios de la creatina

About 40% of the body’s creatine stores are free creatine (Cr), while the remaining 60% is stored in the form of creatine phosphate (FC). A normal person only processes 2 grams of creatine per day and replaces that amount through food intake and manufacturing in the body.

Creatine is used for the resynthesis of ATP. (ATP) or adenosine triphosphate, is the “power” that handles muscle energy. When a muscle contracts, the bonds of the ATP molecule split, producing ADP (adenosine diphosphate). The energy released by breaking this bond enhances muscle contraction.

When ATP is depleted within the cell, the cell can no longer contract. There are several methods by which the body rebuilds ATP. The fastest method, without oxygen, is via (FC). Creatine phosphate breaks down the phosphate part of the molecule.

Creatine supplementation increases Cr and FC in the muscle, allowing a greater capacity to regenerate ATP. In other words, creatine enhances the muscle’s ability to maintain energy production during short periods of high intensity exercise. The periods are short because a cell’s ability to store FC is limited, therefore the body will quickly move to other methods of ATP replacement.

Benefits of creatine for bodybuilding

1. Delays fatigue:

It allows us to better withstand hard exercise, since it masks the effect of lactic acid, especially in short and intense activities.

2. Increase in muscle mass and strength:

Intramuscular creatine is stored, causing muscle cells to absorb water (cellular hydration). The access of water to the interior of the cell together with creatine and glycogen leads to an increase in the volume of the muscle fiber, as well as in potential strength. A larger diameter of the cross section increases muscle mass and therefore more strength. When creatine monohydrate is present, muscle cells operate more efficiently and increase in size .

Another advantage of their rapid operation is that they can synthesize more protein more diligently, and the acceleration of protein synthesis allows muscle cells to develop more than would be possible without a creatine supplement. The main causes of overtraining is the lack of intramuscular creatine, slowing down the resynthesis of ATP. A contribution of creatine ensures that this does not happen. Bodybuilders are encouraged to use creatine because it can provide muscle energy, muscle strength, and help reduce fat.

3. Muscle hypertrophy:

The sustained contribution and consequent increase in volume due to the access to accompanying water end up forcing the muscle fiber to adapt to this situation and therefore physiologically requiring an increase in the synthesis of new muscle proteins that adequate volume and size.

Studies show that taking creatine can run longer and with greater intensity. Creatine has been observed to produce a slight increase in the percentage of type II muscle fibers. Theoretically, if we could increase the percentage of this type of fiber, we would have more capacity to produce a great performance of strength and power, in relation to the other type II and type I fibers. of the potential for the growth of muscle fibers.

4. Improves anaerobic exercise :

Intense and intermittent exercise, of the explosive type, is one that requires ATP and PCr. Sprinters, powerlifters, and bodybuilders can all benefit from creatine supplementation, which boosts their performance.

How to take creatine and doses

Most studies on creatine supplementation have used creatine monohydrate , the form of creatine attached to a molecule of Water. Some studies suggest that the combination of creatine and carbohydrates increases the absorption of creatine. ( I advise taking it with some juice 30 minutes before training )

The most common protocol used since 1990 was to perform 4 doses of 5-7 grams per day for 5 days as a loading phase. That is, about 20-25 grams per day divided into 4 doses. But over the years it has been seen that this loading phase is useless and almost all the creatine is excreted in the urine.

Cómo tomar la creatina

According to current studies, the key to effective creatine supplementation and to be able to fully fill the deposits is to take small amounts and delay intestinal absorption, this gives creatine more ballots to end up in the muscle than in the urine.

That is why it is recommended to take only 2-5 grams a day, 30 minutes before training. (taking more than 5 grams a day will not help us at all and the excess will be thrown away in the urine as I said above)

Is creatine supplementation good for everyone?

creatine supplementation may not be effective for everyone. Due to the mechanisms by which creatine supplementation works, it may not be as effective for endurance athletes. A significant percentage (5%) of the general population appears to have no response to creatine.

People who are vegetarians seem to have a greater response to creatine, in theory, due to the lack of dietary intake with creatine. From this, it can be inferred that individuals who consume large amounts of protein on a daily basis, especially red meat, will have a less significant response to creatine supplementation than the amount ingested through their typical diet.

Conclusion

Supplementing with creatine can provide the results you are looking for. No supplement can replace the fundamental elements of a fit, healthy lifestyle. These include adequate rest and recovery, proper nutrition, and adequate training stimulus.

Only when these factors exist and are optimized for your body, will you begin to see results (reduction in body fat and increase in muscle mass). When this occurs, supplementation is a possible “next step” to increase the results you are looking for.

After many comments on this article about creatine, I have decided to create another article about the most frequently asked questions about this supplement. Anyone who has a question about creatine will undoubtedly find all the answers that come to mind here!