The Source of the Invisible

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Some important questions remained unanswered from my previous article, The Power of the Invisible. These are questions that I normally get from beginner runners and people who just started an exercise program. They ask, “Why is it that I do not have energy?” “Why am I not strong enough?” or “Why do I not recover as fast after a long run as I should?” I would like to propose an idea with the intention to not oversimplify such complex subject, but to point to at least one possible direction.

It is a matter of going to the right sources. Many of our bodies’ critical processes are sustained on and optimized by what we eat. A balanced diet that includes the right type of foods and supplements will fuel the body for its best functioning. Let me explain by following the same topics discussed in the previous article.

ATP gives you energy
Phosphorus, the basic element of Adenosine Triphosphate or ATP, is the second-most abundant mineral in the body – second to Calcium, and we need to ensure the body a steady supply of it through proper nutrition. ATP is synthesized from all three major food groups and therefore another good reason why we should eat a balanced diet. Make sure to include carbohydrates from fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, proteins from beans and dairy products, and fat, especially from sources rich in fatty acids like fish, nuts and seeds. Do this and you will have a sustained level of ATP energy throughout the day.

D grows you stronger
Vitamin D is produced naturally by exposure to ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation from the Sun. Running is a great source of Vitamin D. Fifteen minutes of sun exposure, three times a week, can produce the daily recommended dosage of 1000-3000 IU. Other sources include Vitamin D fortified milk and soy products, canned fish, and all dark greens, especially spinach. The best vegetable source is mushrooms, providing 400 IU per serving. Good levels of Vitamin D will make your bones and muscles stronger. So, it is true: run, eat your spinach and mushrooms, and you will be strong as Popeye.

EGCG gets you protected
Many antioxidants like Epigallocatechin Gellate or EGCG help your immune system maintain a high level of protection and fast recovery from cellular damage, muscular and otherwise. Drink lots of EGCG-rich green tea. It “lowers cholesterol, helps with weight loss, and protects skin from sun damage”1 as you take in your Vitamin D while running. Other antioxidants include Vitamins C and E, and other food sources include wild berries, whole grains, beans, spinach and cabbage. Nutritional supplements are also recommended to increase our daily intake of antioxidants.

Invisible Sources
As we have identified the sources of ATP, D, and EGCG, the same concept applies to our spiritual race of faith. We must ask the questions: How do we obtain the unseen things of the Spirit? Where do we acquire the invisible gear we ought to carry in our race of faith? What is the source of the spiritual values that propel us, strengthen us, and protect us? If I follow my own trails from the previous article in quoting 1 Thessalonians 1:3, how do we obtain faith? How do we obtain love? How do we obtain hope?

The source of faith. Faith depends on fulfilling promises. You know you will be paid this Friday because your employer promised to pay you every other week and has done so for the past four years. You know you will obtain a degree from the university you are attending if you complete all academic requirements because they have guaranteed the graduation promise for over fifty years. Our faith in God also depends on His promises. This is exactly why St. Paul wrote, “So then the faith is by a report, and the report through a saying of God” (YLT: Romans 10:17). God’s sayings are true. Report has it that He has done a great job fulfilling his promises in the past. He will continue to do so in the future. We nourish our race of faith by a daily dose of God’s word.

“…man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD” (NIV: Deuteronomy 8:3).

The source of love. Love depends on satisfying relationships. You know that sharing with your spouse tender words and acts of respect and admiration will strengthen your love relationship. You know that your friend in the hospital will appreciate you even more for being there when he or she needed you most. You can even gain new unexpected friends if you follow Jesus’ advice to “…love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, [and] pray for those who mistreat you” (NIV: Luke 6:27-28). Remember that God is love, and our love is possible because he loved us first. We nourish our race of love by sharing with him tender words and acts of respect and admiration and by attending to the needy.

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart… and Love your neighbor as yourself.” (NIV: Mark 12:30, 31)

The source of hope. Hope depends on rewarding plans. You can plan progress in your work by acquiring job skills that will make you more valuable. You can make plans to improve your health, for example, by watching what you eat and including ATP, D, and EGCG sources in your diet. Plans are necessary to direct you, to inspire you, and to help you reach your potential. God also has plans for your life. Discovering them is your adventure. We nourish our race of hope by searching God and understanding the plans he has in store for us. He has promised:

“For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” (NIV: Jeremiah 29:11).

Remember, practice makes perfect. This is even true when we practice the invisible virtues of the spirit. Abide in the promise that God has good plans for you. This will help you exercise your faith, love, and hope and your energy, strength, and endurance will multiply.

^[1] Kidder, David S., et. Al., Epigallocatachin Gallate, The Intellectual Devotional Health (Rodale Books).

Vladimir Lugo

The Power of the Invisible

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Hopefully, our daily routine includes a good balance of mind, body, and spirit activities. My favorite activity in this category, you guessed it, is running. Running allows me to meditate, exercise, and pray. It makes me aware of myself, the surroundings, and God. It makes me conscious of the profound connection between what I feel, what I perceive, and what I cannot see. In the end, the visible repetitions of strides, core contractions, and balancing arm swings, are only possible through invisible mechanisms: the complex inner workings of cells, chemicals, and bioenergy. The real capacity of our bodies to propel us forward depends on the power of the invisible. Let’s briefly analyze some of these things that get us moving, but are veiled to our naked eyes.

ATP gives you energy
Adenosine Triphosphate or ATP is a compound containing adenine, ribose, and three phosphate groups. According to The Bantam Medical Dictionary, “The chemical bonds of the phosphate groups store energy needed by the cell; for muscle contraction: this energy is released when ATP is split”¹ into its simpler components. Fast-twitch muscle fibers can quickly split ATP to produce energy. The energy released by this physicochemical metabolic reaction then translates into all body movement that levers bones and joints.

D grows you stronger
Vitamin D or its most common form in the human body, Calcitriol, is a group of fat-soluble steroid-like chemicals. It is mainly responsible for the absorption and transport of phosphorous and calcium from the intestines and into the bloodstream. It promotes the normal mineralization of bones and increases bone density. It also increases the size of fast-twitch muscle fibers, usually found in skeletal muscles, elevating muscular strength. Vitamin D links energy (phosphorous) and strength (calcium), resulting in better athletic performance, as confirmed by recent medical studies.² It helps you run longer and faster, with fewer injuries, and helps you recover quickly.

EGCG gets you protected
Epigallocatachin Gallate or EGCG is an ester found in many plants including several teas. It has potent antioxidant properties known to have many therapeutic properties, including treatment for certain forms of cancer and HIV. Antioxidants are necessary to remove free radicals produced during the oxidation that happens with muscle metabolism during exercise. The body’s antioxidant defense system uses EGCG as part of the immunological response to heal damaged tissue, increase our endurance to repeated exposure, protect us from further harm, and to enable fast recovery.

Invisible Gear

These and many other processes are invisible wonders of our physical complexity. We carry this invisible gear around even when we are not aware of its existence. Applying what we now know about them metaphorically to our race of faith is a fascinating concept I want to introduce here. What invisible gear we carry in our race of faith? What other invisible things have a natural effect in our lives? What spiritual values propel us, strengthen us, and protect us? What power keeps us from injuries? What unseen substance heals us? What imperceptible truth restores us, frees us?

The real power of the things seen reside in the things unseen. St. Paul wrote (NIV: 1 Thessalonians 1:3):

“We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope”

Work produced by faith. Faith is actually the workout of your race, like the workout you get when you run out the invisible power that has been bestowed upon you. Invisible faith has you go to work every day; has you buy your airplane tickets for your vacation next month; has you enroll in your next race four months ahead or in your next university semester. Invisible faith makes you work now on what you cannot view yet. Invisible faith gives you energy.

Labor prompted by love. Love is what moves your fast-twitch muscle fibers to labor. Invisible love has you share words of wisdom and encouragement with your spouse; has you go to the hospital at 3:00 a.m. to visit a friend who was in an accident; has you care for your neighbor. Invisible love makes you grow stronger.

Endurance inspired by hope. Hope removes the free radicals that can damage your long term vision. Invisible hope has you look forward to that promotion that has not even been offered to you; has you see your healed body beyond your current disease; has you endure through adversity expecting better times ahead. Invisible hope gets you protected.

“And now these three remain: faith, hope and love” (NIV: 1 Corinthians 13:13). Remember to gear up with the power of the invisible!


^[1] Urdang, Laurence, The Bantam Medical Dictionary (Mass Market Paperback), p. 61.
^[2] Asp, Karen, Running on D, Runner’s World Magazine, Dec 2009, p. 36-37.

Vladimir Lugo

Spiritual Headphones

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It was a beautiful Southern California morning in the month of January. Clear, sunny, bright, with blue skies; snow topped the San Bernardino Mountains and a soft breeze flowed down cooling the air. It was a perfect day for a perfect run. Every step of the way was worth taking during the longest run in my entire life in preparation for the Surf City USA 2010 marathon. It was also a perfect day to listen to my favorite worship music and to meditate in my experience. I would like to share the numbers for that day:

The numbers are impressive when you see them like that! However, my run almost got spoiled, but not by the bigger numbers. It was not the number of steps I took, the number of beats I made my heart take, or the number of feet I had to climb uphill. It was not even how cold it was, or the number of water stops that forced me to bend my tired legs, or how long it took me to complete the run. I was bothered by the smaller numbers; perhaps by the two blisters on my feet, but most definitely, the pair of non-cooperating headphones that left me with two irritated ears.

I fought my headphones to keep them plugged. I pushed them. I twisted them. I screwed them. I held them with both my hands. I tied them around my ears. I wrapped them around with my headband. I pulled the cables over my shirt. I changed the position of my iPod. And I repeated every single one of these methods over and over without much success. I got very annoyed as not only my ears got irritated but also my spirit.

Paradoxically, my worship attitude deteriorated because I could not listen to the worship songs. I then remembered that verse in the Song of Solomon that reads: “Our vineyards are in blossom; we must catch the little foxes that destroy the vineyards” (2:15 CEV). I had to catch my “little fox”, control the wrestle against my defenseless headphones, and fix my attitude to enjoy the rest of the run ahead.

Many of us may get similarly upset by the smaller things. Some situations are so typical that have joined the Annoyance Hall of Fame, such as pressing the toothpaste in the wrong place, leaving the shoes in the middle of the staircase, or changing the scissors from their proper place. We forget that “wrong”, “middle”, and “proper” belong to our perception of things. But more importantly, we forget how our attitude towards the smaller things can spoil our race of faith, the harmony in our homes, the peace in our relationships, and deviate us from our purpose in life and our higher goals. Our race of faith is radiant; we must seize the little displeasures that destroy our run.

Cucamonga Peak, photograph by Vladimir Lugo

While approaching the Cucamonga Peak around mile six, a thought filled my mind and accompanied me the rest of the way. An inspiration that helped me catch my “little fox.” When was the last time I got my spiritual senses irritated by my insistence to hear God? When was the last time I meditated on his words with the intensity to push them, twist them, and screw them into my soul? When was the last time I importuned him with my prayers and waited for his answer? No wonder the first commandment reads:

Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates (NIV: Deuteronomy 6:4-9).

Take your spiritual headphones with all your strength to impress, talk, tie, bind, and write the motivating word of God into your heart. Love God with dedication, insistence, perseverance, fully and willfully. I cannot remember if my headphones stayed in my ears, but I certainly finished strong and heard his word in my spirit. We would like God to show us the big accomplishments, the amount of effort, if there will be suffering, how the atmosphere is going to be, how fast we are going to achieve our goals, how much money we are going to earn. However, and more often than not, God is not impressed by the numbers. He talks to us in the simpler things, the little adjustments, the one step ahead, and the invisible actions. The few words like the ones I share today to encourage you.

Use your “little foxes” to teach you the spiritual value of things and adjust your attitude for the rest of the road. Fight to keep your spiritual headphones plugged. Keep listening. After all, there are better headphones than those provided with your iPod.

Vladimir Lugo