Behind any athlete, whether it's on the little league field, or under the Friday night lights, there is usually an equally dedicated parent(s). While this parental dedication is commendable, it's important to recognize when dedication becomes too much for the child's body to physically handle.

Noted orthopedic surgeon, James Andrews, has seen his fair share of athletic injuries. Andrews has practiced medicine for the past 40 years. He was the surgeon who operated on Drew Brees back in 2006, when Brees tore the labrum in his right shoulder. In 2010, Sports Illustrated listed him among the top most powerful people in the NFL, the only doctor on the list.

There have been many conflicting conclusions in the past about the appropriate amount of protein needed by the body to support lean muscle tissue growth and repair, especially if you are an athlete in training.

 Proteins are made up of amino acids – the so-called the building blocks of life - that serve to stimulate muscle growth and protein synthesis, as well as support immune function and much more. There are two types of amino acids: essential (EAAs) and non-essential (non-EAAs). The body can synthesize non-EAAs (the body can produce these on its own), while EAAs must be acquired from the diet.

Feeling exhausted from a bout of high intensity exercise? This situation could result from a job well done, or from conditions referred to as over-training and over-reaching.

According to University of Vermont physician and triathlete, Alex M. McDonald, over-training "results when stress from both training and non-training stressors, overwhelms the body's ability to recover adequately."

It's not often that we give our parents or grandparents credit for the little things they taught us such as to "take that tablespoon of cod liver oil" to enjoy better health.

How right they were, especially if you participate in recreational sports. Fish oil (a source of Omega 3s) consumption dates to the 1700s as a daily wellness tonic.

Early physicians found great success easing their patient's aching joints, much less helping them to regain good health. To this day, I take not only fish oil capsules, but also a teaspoon of cod liver oil in my morning protein shake to help both my heart health and protect my joints from running up and down the tennis court during training sessions with world No. 1 Serena Williams. While I will never reveal a woman's age, I will turn 62 on March 16, so I need all the good health I can get.