It's a phenomenon familiar to people everywhere.
You have a tough day, whether it's at your job, school or with your personal relationships.
You feel frustrated, don't know what to do and are overwhelmed.
Your mind is racing, your stomach is churning and you're gasping for a deep breath.
So you drive home in a rage, flipping off other drivers on the highway, take off your coat, yell at the dog...
...and reach for some Ben & Jerry's. Or chocolate. Or chips, cookies, donuts, whatever you can get your hands on.
Aaahhhhh.
You might feel better for a while, but unfortunately you're noticing that your butt is wider than it used to be and it's getting harder to see your toes...
Welcome to the world of stress eating.
Stress eating takes its toll on your health in many ways, the most obvious being in your girth.
It can also worsen digestive problems like acid reflux, IBS symptoms, gas, bloating and diarrhea.
Stress eaters KNOW that they should stop eating, but that's easier said than done for most. Some may desperately try to resist the beckoning of the refrigerator, pantry or vending machine, but then break down in that moment of weakness and give in.
The good news is you CAN break free of stress eating. But first it's important to understand what's going on when you're shoveling it in under stress.
The hormone connection
Back in our caveman days, when faced with the stress of encountering a saber-toothed tiger or similar danger, your body would gear up to deal with stress by releasing two hormones (adrenaline and cortisol). These hormones would mobilize fat and carbohydrates stored in the body for quick energy for the "fight or flight" reaction.
That's what helped our ancestors fight off the predator or run like he%$.
Once the stress was over, adrenaline would go away, but cortisol hung around for a while to help refuel your body and bring it back to balance.
One of the ways it does this is by giving you a voracious appetite that drives you to replace the carbs and fats you used up in the process of outrunning the tiger.
Now, our current stresses are much different--we're not running from tigers anymore. Our stresses are more emotional or psychological. But your body's reaction to that stress is the SAME.
So Ben & Jerry's, to the rescue.
The price of chronic stress
Under longstanding chronic stress, cortisol levels are raised and remain high. This creates a buildup of abdominal fat (our primitive emergency energy supply).
But the price of this is more that just a spare tire or muffin top.
It also leads to depressed immune function, low thyroid function, problems with controlling blood sugar, impaired memory and concentration, adrenal fatigue ("burnout") and eventually, chronic illness.
With continual stress (and high cortisol levels) you are susceptible to conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke, blood clots and colon cancer.
Break the cycle
Clearly, it's essential to break the cycle of stress eating and chronic stress. Your health and quite possibly your life depend on it.
Trust me, it CAN be done.
Instead of immediately caving into your craving, here are 10 strategies for relieving stress and conquering cravings:
1) Wait 10 minutes before giving in to a craving
If you can distract yourself by answering an email, doing a load of laundry, making a phone call, feeding the cat or running an errand, you may forget about your craving.
2) NEVER go hungry or skip meals
Hunger can trigger intense cravings for sugar, so be sure to eat breakfast, lunch and dinner every day. If you are busy and miss a meal, snack on protein foods like leftover chicken or fish or raw (NOT roasted) nuts.
3) Eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables
Fresh produce is full of antioxidants and phytochemicals that eliminate the free radicals caused by stress.
4) Drink green tea
Not only is green tea alkaline (which is good for your pH), but it contains the amino acid theamine, which tranquilizes your brain and helps control cortisol levels.
5) Turn off the boob tube
TV exposes you to endless numbers of food commercials that are specifically designed to trigger cravings. And the fast food joints are even staying open later at night so their bottom lines can benefit from your cravings, thank you very much.
6) Sleep more
Fatigue and sleep deprivation lead to carb cravings because carbs are a major source of energy when you feel wiped out. Record Jay Leno or those reruns of Seinfeld and get some decent rest.
7) Get some exercise
Exercise counteracts stress and cravings by releasing endorphins, the hormone that produces good feelings. It's not necessary to join a gym or become Lance Armstrong or Jillian Michaels. Even walking is fine, and nearly everyone can do that.
8) Drink a lot of water
Every system of your body depends on water to remove wastes, bring nutrients and oxygen to the cells, aid in digestion and maintain normal metabolism. In addition, many people mistake thirst for hunger, so what may seem like a craving to you could be your body telling you to drink more water. You should aim to drink at least 8-10 cups of water a day.
9) Eat foods with anti-stress vitamins and minerals
These include foods with vitamins A, B6, C and E as well as potassium, magnesium, calcium and zinc. Here are some good sources of each:
Vitamin A: Carrots, sweet potatoes, greens, bell peppers
Vitamin B6: Bananas, salmon, potatoes, chicken, turkey and spinach
Vitamin C: Strawberries, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, oranges, cauliflower
Vitamin E: Sunflower seeds, almonds, olives, spinach, blueberries, greens
Potassium: Yams, spinach, avocado, lentils, winter squash, bananas
Magnesium: Black beans, navy beans, salmon, spinach, sesame seeds, halibut
Calcium: Greens, sesame seeds, dairy
Zinc: Lean beef or lamb, turkey, green peas, shrimp, sesame seeds
10) And the ALL IMPORTANT number 10:
**Make sure your digestion is top-notch**
All the healthy food in the world will do you and your stress levels no good if your digestion is incomplete and inefficient.
Poor digestion not only worsens stress-related problems like acid reflux, gas, bloating and constipation, but it also reduces your ability to absorb stress-reducing nutrients from your foods.
So the craving bell will continue to ring for you!
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Salad dressings
If you want to eat truly healthy, support your fat loss goals, and
avoid some of the nasty additives in processed food, one thing you
should eliminate is typical store-bought salad dressing.
And here's why?
1. Almost all store-bought salad dressings contain fairly large
amounts of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS). Unless you're in a
health food store, it's almost impossible to find a salad dressing
that doesn't contain large amounts of HFCS.
2. Almost all store-bought salad dressings contain heavily refined
soybean oil and/or refined canola oil... both of which are VERY
unhealthy. Yes, that's correct, canola oil IS unhealthy, despite
the marketing propaganda you've been fed claiming that it's
healthy. You can read more about why canola oil is NOT healthy
here.
Due to the refining process of both soybean or canola oils, the
polyunsaturated component of the oils is oxidized and makes these
oils very inflammatory inside your body. In addition, soybean oil
is WAY too high in omega-6 fatty acids which throws your omega-6 to
omega-3 balance out of whack.
We know that olive oil is healthier, but when it comes to
store-bought dressings... Even salad dressings that claim to be
"made with olive oil" on the FRONT label are deceptive, because if
you read the ingredients on the BACK label, they are almost ALWAYS
made of mostly refined soybean oil or canola oil as the main oil,
with only a very small amount of actual olive oil as a secondary
oil.
So here's how to avoid all of these horrendously unhealthy
store-bought salad dressings and make your own quick and easy
SUPER-healthy dressing...
My Quick and Easy Recipe for Super-Healthy Salad Dressing
Geary's Healthy-Fat Blend Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing
Fill your salad dressing container with these approximate ratios of
liquids:
* 1/3rd of container filled with balsamic vinegar
* 1/3rd of container filled with apple cider vinegar
* fill the remaining 1/3rd of container with equal parts of
extra virgin olive oil and "Udo's Choice EFA Oil Blend"
* Add just a small touch (approx 1 or 2 teaspoons) of real
maple syrup
* Add a little bit of onion powder, garlic powder, and black
pepper and then shake the container to mix all ingredients well.
This homemade salad dressing mixture is delicious and healthy, and
I pretty much never get tired of it!
The reason I choose to blend the extra virgin olive oil half & half
with the Udo's Choice Oil is that they make up for what each
lacks... Although extra virgin olive oil is healthy and contains
important antioxidants, it is mostly monounsaturated, and is low in
the essential fatty acids (EFAs). The Udo's Choice Oil is higher in
unrefined polyunsaturated oils with a good healthy balance of
omega-3 to omega-6 fatty acids.
There are several variations of the Udo's Choice Oil, and one of
them (labeled DHA 3-6-9 Blend) even contains a DHA algae oil
blended into the mix along with organic flax oil, coconut oil,
evening primrose oil, rice bran oil, oat germ and bran oil, and a
few others.
Overall, blending Udo's Oil with extra virgin olive oil makes
nearly a perfect oil blend for salad dressings with a great taste
and maximum health benefits. If you can't find Udo's Choice Oil
Blends (you can find Udo's at almost any health food store), there
are other EFA oil blends on the market...just make sure that they
are COLD-processed to protect the EFAs. You should never heat an
EFA oil blend!
Give this homemade super-healthy salad dressing a try! You'll do
your body a favor by avoiding the harmful additives in store-bought
salad dressing.
avoid some of the nasty additives in processed food, one thing you
should eliminate is typical store-bought salad dressing.
And here's why?
1. Almost all store-bought salad dressings contain fairly large
amounts of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS). Unless you're in a
health food store, it's almost impossible to find a salad dressing
that doesn't contain large amounts of HFCS.
2. Almost all store-bought salad dressings contain heavily refined
soybean oil and/or refined canola oil... both of which are VERY
unhealthy. Yes, that's correct, canola oil IS unhealthy, despite
the marketing propaganda you've been fed claiming that it's
healthy. You can read more about why canola oil is NOT healthy
here.
Due to the refining process of both soybean or canola oils, the
polyunsaturated component of the oils is oxidized and makes these
oils very inflammatory inside your body. In addition, soybean oil
is WAY too high in omega-6 fatty acids which throws your omega-6 to
omega-3 balance out of whack.
We know that olive oil is healthier, but when it comes to
store-bought dressings... Even salad dressings that claim to be
"made with olive oil" on the FRONT label are deceptive, because if
you read the ingredients on the BACK label, they are almost ALWAYS
made of mostly refined soybean oil or canola oil as the main oil,
with only a very small amount of actual olive oil as a secondary
oil.
So here's how to avoid all of these horrendously unhealthy
store-bought salad dressings and make your own quick and easy
SUPER-healthy dressing...
My Quick and Easy Recipe for Super-Healthy Salad Dressing
Geary's Healthy-Fat Blend Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing
Fill your salad dressing container with these approximate ratios of
liquids:
* 1/3rd of container filled with balsamic vinegar
* 1/3rd of container filled with apple cider vinegar
* fill the remaining 1/3rd of container with equal parts of
extra virgin olive oil and "Udo's Choice EFA Oil Blend"
* Add just a small touch (approx 1 or 2 teaspoons) of real
maple syrup
* Add a little bit of onion powder, garlic powder, and black
pepper and then shake the container to mix all ingredients well.
This homemade salad dressing mixture is delicious and healthy, and
I pretty much never get tired of it!
The reason I choose to blend the extra virgin olive oil half & half
with the Udo's Choice Oil is that they make up for what each
lacks... Although extra virgin olive oil is healthy and contains
important antioxidants, it is mostly monounsaturated, and is low in
the essential fatty acids (EFAs). The Udo's Choice Oil is higher in
unrefined polyunsaturated oils with a good healthy balance of
omega-3 to omega-6 fatty acids.
There are several variations of the Udo's Choice Oil, and one of
them (labeled DHA 3-6-9 Blend) even contains a DHA algae oil
blended into the mix along with organic flax oil, coconut oil,
evening primrose oil, rice bran oil, oat germ and bran oil, and a
few others.
Overall, blending Udo's Oil with extra virgin olive oil makes
nearly a perfect oil blend for salad dressings with a great taste
and maximum health benefits. If you can't find Udo's Choice Oil
Blends (you can find Udo's at almost any health food store), there
are other EFA oil blends on the market...just make sure that they
are COLD-processed to protect the EFAs. You should never heat an
EFA oil blend!
Give this homemade super-healthy salad dressing a try! You'll do
your body a favor by avoiding the harmful additives in store-bought
salad dressing.
Antioxidants
People often ask what nutritional supplements, if any, they should take.
There's no blanket answer to that question because each one provides unique health benefits and each person's needs are dependent on their particular situation.
However, there ARE some compounds that are SO beneficial and they aren't always plentiful in our diets and/or able to be made by our bodies...so supplementation is essential.
These are the Serious Six.
I'll tell you what they are in just a moment, but first I want to point out that four of the Serious Six are considered by many experts to be key antioxidants.
Most people have heard of antioxidants, but aren't really sure what they are or how they help us.
Here is a crash course on antioxidants, followed by my Serious Six list:
What's an antioxidant?
Antioxidants are vitamins, minerals and other nutrients that are produced by your body or also occur naturally in foods. They work together in your body to prevent damage to your cells caused by free radicals (more on those below).
Foods that are rich in antioxidants include real foods - fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, meats and oils. But most people in developed countries today rely heavily on processed foods, fast food and refined carbohydrates--all of which are mostly or completely lacking in natural antioxidants.
Not wise...
Current estimates show that over 70% of Americans will die from diseases caused or contributed to by deficiencies of certain antioxidants. So antioxidants are not something to take lightly. Your life just may depend on them.
Before seeing how they work, let me introduce you to free radicals.
What's a free radical?
A brief but simple chemistry lesson is needed for this:
Your body is made up of cells. Each cell is comprised of smaller units called molecules, and each molecule is created by one or more tiny atoms.
Atoms are made up of a nucleus (center), protons (positively charged particles in the nucleus) and electrons (negatively charged particles surrounding the atom). The number of protons in an atom determines the number of electrons the atom needs.
Electrons "orbit" around the atom in one or more shells--they look like the rings around Saturn.
Atoms are always trying to fill their rings with the proper number of electrons. Sometimes atoms will "share" an electron to achieve the right number - these are called bonded atoms.
Free radicals are created when a bonded atom splits away from its partner atom and ends up short one electron. The free radical is very unstable and "attacks" other atoms to "steal" the needed electron.
When an "attacked" atom has one of its electrons stolen, it becomes a free radical and attacks another atom. A chain reaction results with atoms attacking each other to get their missing electron.
Chemistry lesson over.
All free radicals are not created equal
Many people believe the presence of any free radicals is bad.
That's not exactly true.
Free radicals do serve valid functions like destroying viruses and bacteria, controlling blood flow through your arteries, keeping your brain sharp and even killing cancer cells.
The real danger is when free radicals get out of control -- that's when Dr. Jekyll turns into Mr. Hyde.
Out of control free radicals can travel through your bloodstream and encourage atherosclerosis, heart attack and cerebral vascular accident (stroke).
They can also cause or contribute to the following conditions:
- Premature aging
- Alzheimer's disease
- Parkinson's disease
- Type II diabetes
- Cataracts
- Arthritis
How antioxidants work
Antioxidants help to control free radicals by surrounding and engulfing them. At this point the antioxidant itself becomes a free radical; however, it is a weak one that is far less likely to do harm to your body.
Plus the engulfed free radical can be turned back into an antioxidant with the help of another antioxidant--so it gets "recycled" back into a good guy.
Now without further ado, here are the Serious Six:
1. Vitamin C
Food sources: Citrus fruit, tomatoes, red peppers, broccoli, cranberries, cabbage, potatoes, guava, strawberries, kiwi.
Vitamin C cannot be produced by the human body and therefore must be obtained through food or supplementation. It's a key antioxidant.
Its health benefits include:
* Cancer prevention by protecting DNA from free radical damage
* Strengthens immune function, thereby helping to reduce the length and severity of colds
* Protects sperm from free radical damage
* Fights the development of wrinkles by enhancing the production of collagen in the skin cells
* Works with Vitamin E to prevent atherosclerosis and heart disease
* Cataract prevention
2. Vitamin E
Food sources: Wheat germ oil, sunflower seeds, vegetable oils, turnip greens, nuts, nut butters, rice bran oil, barley and avocado.
Like vitamin C, vitamin E is also a key antioxidant and cannot be produced by the human body. It too must be obtained through food or supplements.
Here are some of Vitamin E's health benefits:
* Keeps your skin youthful by protecting against damage from UV radiation and ozone
* Relieves symptoms of arthritis and inflammatory conditions
* Reduces the risk of prostate cancer and can stop the growth of breast cancer cells
* Decreases the risk of heart disease
* Enhances immune function
* Cataract prevention
3. Lipoic acid (also known as alpha lipoic acid)
Food sources: Potatoes, spinach and red meat, but is mainly synthesized by your body.
Lipoic acid is very versatile and able to track down free radicals wherever they lurk. It's is also the only antioxidant that can recycle other antioxidants. It helps your cells produce ATP, which is your body's main form of energy.
Some of lipoic acid's impressive benefits are:
* Protects against stroke, heart disease and cataracts
* Strengthens memory and prevents aging of the brain
* Prevents and relieves complications of diabetes
* Shuts down genes that can accelerate aging and cause cancer
* Treats liver diseases such as hepatitis C
4. Coenzyme Q10 (also known as CoQ10)
Food sources: Oily fish (such as salmon and tuna), organ meats (such as liver), and whole grains. CoQ10 is also synthesized by your body.
CoQ10 is a key antioxidant involved in the Krebs cycle, which is how your body produces energy. It also recycles vitamin E and offers protection against UV radiation-the leading cause of skin aging and skin cancer.
CoQ10 supplementation is wise for people taking statin drugs, since statins inhibit the synthesis of CoQ10 in your body.
Here are some other ways CoQ10 helps you:
* Helps prevent and treat heart disease
* Rejuvenates brain cells and may aid in the prevention of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases
* Treats gum disease
5. Probiotics
Food sources: Yogurt, kefir, buttermilk, sauerkraut, tempeh, pickles and olives.
Trillions of these beneficial bacteria (probiotics) live in your intestinal tract. In addition to making up 80% of your immune system they also:
* Aid in digestion, helping to eliminate digestive problems such as IBS, constipation or diarrhea
* Reduce inflammation
* Help alleviate allergic responses
* Help lower cholesterol
But there are also harmful bacteria in your gut that weaken the intestinal wall, cause digestive problems and lead to countless other illnesses. Therefore, a proper balance of beneficial bacteria over harmful (at least 85% good and 15% or less bad) is essential to good health.
But the foods most peoples eat today feed the harmful bacteria, which then overcome the helpful ones. Other factors such as smoking, environmental toxins, lack of sleep, stress and drinking chlorinated water also lead to harmful bacteria overgrowth. Therefore, supplementation is important.
A medical grade multi-strain probiotic supplement such as Super Shield can help you achieve the crucial intestinal flora balance.
6. Omega-3 essential fatty acids
Food sources: Oily fish, tofu, flaxseeds, soybeans, walnuts
The critical Omega-3 fatty acids used by your body are eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).
EPA and DHA are a MAJOR structural component of cell membranes where they help control cell signaling, immune response, inflammation, hormone production and other metabolic functions.
Other health benefits of EPA and DHA Omega-3 fatty acids include:
* Promote arterial flexibility and elasticity
* Reduce dangerous LDL cholesterol while increasing healthy HDL levels
* Lower triglycerides
* Support healthy blood pressure and protect against blood clots
* Optimize brain health and mental clarity, memory and concentration.
* Prevent degenerative joint conditions
* Promote nervous system health and reduce the severity of disorders like depression, ADHD, bipolar disorder and OCD
* Fight chronic inflammation
Due to our highly processed diets and the lack of naturally occurring Omega-3 EFAs in our food supply, most people have a serious Omega-3 deficiency that eating more fish isn't likely to correct. Therefore, supplementation is important.
So there you have the Serious Six.
Now, there are MANY more supplements out there that I haven't mentioned that serve very valid functions, and if you're taking them and getting positive results, great!
However, the Serious Six are some heavy hitters that are most likely to help get YOU on a track to serious great health now and into your golden years.
To your health,
There's no blanket answer to that question because each one provides unique health benefits and each person's needs are dependent on their particular situation.
However, there ARE some compounds that are SO beneficial and they aren't always plentiful in our diets and/or able to be made by our bodies...so supplementation is essential.
These are the Serious Six.
I'll tell you what they are in just a moment, but first I want to point out that four of the Serious Six are considered by many experts to be key antioxidants.
Most people have heard of antioxidants, but aren't really sure what they are or how they help us.
Here is a crash course on antioxidants, followed by my Serious Six list:
What's an antioxidant?
Antioxidants are vitamins, minerals and other nutrients that are produced by your body or also occur naturally in foods. They work together in your body to prevent damage to your cells caused by free radicals (more on those below).
Foods that are rich in antioxidants include real foods - fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, meats and oils. But most people in developed countries today rely heavily on processed foods, fast food and refined carbohydrates--all of which are mostly or completely lacking in natural antioxidants.
Not wise...
Current estimates show that over 70% of Americans will die from diseases caused or contributed to by deficiencies of certain antioxidants. So antioxidants are not something to take lightly. Your life just may depend on them.
Before seeing how they work, let me introduce you to free radicals.
What's a free radical?
A brief but simple chemistry lesson is needed for this:
Your body is made up of cells. Each cell is comprised of smaller units called molecules, and each molecule is created by one or more tiny atoms.
Atoms are made up of a nucleus (center), protons (positively charged particles in the nucleus) and electrons (negatively charged particles surrounding the atom). The number of protons in an atom determines the number of electrons the atom needs.
Electrons "orbit" around the atom in one or more shells--they look like the rings around Saturn.
Atoms are always trying to fill their rings with the proper number of electrons. Sometimes atoms will "share" an electron to achieve the right number - these are called bonded atoms.
Free radicals are created when a bonded atom splits away from its partner atom and ends up short one electron. The free radical is very unstable and "attacks" other atoms to "steal" the needed electron.
When an "attacked" atom has one of its electrons stolen, it becomes a free radical and attacks another atom. A chain reaction results with atoms attacking each other to get their missing electron.
Chemistry lesson over.
All free radicals are not created equal
Many people believe the presence of any free radicals is bad.
That's not exactly true.
Free radicals do serve valid functions like destroying viruses and bacteria, controlling blood flow through your arteries, keeping your brain sharp and even killing cancer cells.
The real danger is when free radicals get out of control -- that's when Dr. Jekyll turns into Mr. Hyde.
Out of control free radicals can travel through your bloodstream and encourage atherosclerosis, heart attack and cerebral vascular accident (stroke).
They can also cause or contribute to the following conditions:
- Premature aging
- Alzheimer's disease
- Parkinson's disease
- Type II diabetes
- Cataracts
- Arthritis
How antioxidants work
Antioxidants help to control free radicals by surrounding and engulfing them. At this point the antioxidant itself becomes a free radical; however, it is a weak one that is far less likely to do harm to your body.
Plus the engulfed free radical can be turned back into an antioxidant with the help of another antioxidant--so it gets "recycled" back into a good guy.
Now without further ado, here are the Serious Six:
1. Vitamin C
Food sources: Citrus fruit, tomatoes, red peppers, broccoli, cranberries, cabbage, potatoes, guava, strawberries, kiwi.
Vitamin C cannot be produced by the human body and therefore must be obtained through food or supplementation. It's a key antioxidant.
Its health benefits include:
* Cancer prevention by protecting DNA from free radical damage
* Strengthens immune function, thereby helping to reduce the length and severity of colds
* Protects sperm from free radical damage
* Fights the development of wrinkles by enhancing the production of collagen in the skin cells
* Works with Vitamin E to prevent atherosclerosis and heart disease
* Cataract prevention
2. Vitamin E
Food sources: Wheat germ oil, sunflower seeds, vegetable oils, turnip greens, nuts, nut butters, rice bran oil, barley and avocado.
Like vitamin C, vitamin E is also a key antioxidant and cannot be produced by the human body. It too must be obtained through food or supplements.
Here are some of Vitamin E's health benefits:
* Keeps your skin youthful by protecting against damage from UV radiation and ozone
* Relieves symptoms of arthritis and inflammatory conditions
* Reduces the risk of prostate cancer and can stop the growth of breast cancer cells
* Decreases the risk of heart disease
* Enhances immune function
* Cataract prevention
3. Lipoic acid (also known as alpha lipoic acid)
Food sources: Potatoes, spinach and red meat, but is mainly synthesized by your body.
Lipoic acid is very versatile and able to track down free radicals wherever they lurk. It's is also the only antioxidant that can recycle other antioxidants. It helps your cells produce ATP, which is your body's main form of energy.
Some of lipoic acid's impressive benefits are:
* Protects against stroke, heart disease and cataracts
* Strengthens memory and prevents aging of the brain
* Prevents and relieves complications of diabetes
* Shuts down genes that can accelerate aging and cause cancer
* Treats liver diseases such as hepatitis C
4. Coenzyme Q10 (also known as CoQ10)
Food sources: Oily fish (such as salmon and tuna), organ meats (such as liver), and whole grains. CoQ10 is also synthesized by your body.
CoQ10 is a key antioxidant involved in the Krebs cycle, which is how your body produces energy. It also recycles vitamin E and offers protection against UV radiation-the leading cause of skin aging and skin cancer.
CoQ10 supplementation is wise for people taking statin drugs, since statins inhibit the synthesis of CoQ10 in your body.
Here are some other ways CoQ10 helps you:
* Helps prevent and treat heart disease
* Rejuvenates brain cells and may aid in the prevention of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases
* Treats gum disease
5. Probiotics
Food sources: Yogurt, kefir, buttermilk, sauerkraut, tempeh, pickles and olives.
Trillions of these beneficial bacteria (probiotics) live in your intestinal tract. In addition to making up 80% of your immune system they also:
* Aid in digestion, helping to eliminate digestive problems such as IBS, constipation or diarrhea
* Reduce inflammation
* Help alleviate allergic responses
* Help lower cholesterol
But there are also harmful bacteria in your gut that weaken the intestinal wall, cause digestive problems and lead to countless other illnesses. Therefore, a proper balance of beneficial bacteria over harmful (at least 85% good and 15% or less bad) is essential to good health.
But the foods most peoples eat today feed the harmful bacteria, which then overcome the helpful ones. Other factors such as smoking, environmental toxins, lack of sleep, stress and drinking chlorinated water also lead to harmful bacteria overgrowth. Therefore, supplementation is important.
A medical grade multi-strain probiotic supplement such as Super Shield can help you achieve the crucial intestinal flora balance.
6. Omega-3 essential fatty acids
Food sources: Oily fish, tofu, flaxseeds, soybeans, walnuts
The critical Omega-3 fatty acids used by your body are eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).
EPA and DHA are a MAJOR structural component of cell membranes where they help control cell signaling, immune response, inflammation, hormone production and other metabolic functions.
Other health benefits of EPA and DHA Omega-3 fatty acids include:
* Promote arterial flexibility and elasticity
* Reduce dangerous LDL cholesterol while increasing healthy HDL levels
* Lower triglycerides
* Support healthy blood pressure and protect against blood clots
* Optimize brain health and mental clarity, memory and concentration.
* Prevent degenerative joint conditions
* Promote nervous system health and reduce the severity of disorders like depression, ADHD, bipolar disorder and OCD
* Fight chronic inflammation
Due to our highly processed diets and the lack of naturally occurring Omega-3 EFAs in our food supply, most people have a serious Omega-3 deficiency that eating more fish isn't likely to correct. Therefore, supplementation is important.
So there you have the Serious Six.
Now, there are MANY more supplements out there that I haven't mentioned that serve very valid functions, and if you're taking them and getting positive results, great!
However, the Serious Six are some heavy hitters that are most likely to help get YOU on a track to serious great health now and into your golden years.
To your health,
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
The Truth about Low-Carb Diets vs Controlled-Carbohydrate Meals
One of the problems with "diet talk" is that nobody seems to
agree what "low carb" really means... One person may think of "low
carb" as an Atkins style diet with as much fatty sausages, hotdogs,
and nitrate processed meats as you want and virtually no
carbohydrate based foods at all.
Another person may view "low carb" as 40% of daily calories coming
from carbs instead of the traditionally recommended 55% to 60%.
If you think about it, in a 40/30/30 type of diet, the majority of
the calories are coming from carbs, so that obviously can't be
called "low carb"...yet some people do call it that.
Because of these drastic differences in how different people view
the term "low carb", clients are confused as to what is
recommended.
First of all, I don't recommend "low carb" or "high carb" per se...
I don't think it's vitally important to have any sort of exact
ratio. I think everyone needs to explore for themselves how they
feel at different ratios of fat, protein, and carbohydrates.
After all, the most important aspect to your success is your total
calorific intake vs your calorific expenditure over a given time period.
But where carbohydrate intake becomes important is in how it can
affect your hormones and blood sugar in your body and stimulate
cravings. You could tell someone to eat 2500 calories/day of a
higher fat and higher protein content combined with reduced carbs
and they may actually finish the day at 2500 calories because their
appetite is satisfied.
However, tell that same person to eat 2500 calories per day in a
high carb fashion, and they may end up eating 3000 or more calories
per day because the higher carbohydrate diet stimulated their
cravings and they ended up overeating.
If you throw a big steak in front of someone and a
big pile of vegetables, their appetite may well be satisfied when they've done for hours afterward. However, you throw a big plate
of pasta in front of someone, they may devour the entire plate, and
then head back for seconds and maybe even thirds.
This is what happens for a lot of people... once you start eating
large portions of carbs like pasta or rice or cereals, it becomes
hard to stop and then you're craving more carbs an hour later too!
So what I've found to work best for most people
in the past is to eat in a "controlled carbs" manner... this
doesn't mean atkins style... it means very reduced grains, zero
refined sugars (to the best of ability of avoiding), and instead,
getting almost all of your healthy carbs from vegetables, fruits,
and maybe beans on occasion.
This ends up being very similar to the hunter-gatherer type of diet
of meats, eggs, nuts, seeds, fruits, and veggies, which I believe
is the healthiest way to eat.
Sometimes it just takes thinking a little differently about the way
you eat and what's considered "normal" in order to get rid of some
of the useless grains and sugars in your diet.
For example, why do we need to eat a burger on a bun? Most people
don't even think of doing it any other way because that's what's
"normal".
Think about breakfast......
do you really "need" the toast with your eggs, or can you do much
better with loads of veggies with your eggs instead?
Whats good for breakfast?
Whole eggs with cheese and loads of veggies, avocado, and some green or white tea with a little raw honey.
So I get my carbs from the veggies and the little bit of raw honey
instead of from the typical toast and orange juice that loads you
up with extra carbs.
...Just some ideas in case it helps you to think differently about
where you get your carbs from.
Food for thought?
This material is for guidance only and does not constitute medical advice, just thought provoking ideas.
agree what "low carb" really means... One person may think of "low
carb" as an Atkins style diet with as much fatty sausages, hotdogs,
and nitrate processed meats as you want and virtually no
carbohydrate based foods at all.
Another person may view "low carb" as 40% of daily calories coming
from carbs instead of the traditionally recommended 55% to 60%.
If you think about it, in a 40/30/30 type of diet, the majority of
the calories are coming from carbs, so that obviously can't be
called "low carb"...yet some people do call it that.
Because of these drastic differences in how different people view
the term "low carb", clients are confused as to what is
recommended.
First of all, I don't recommend "low carb" or "high carb" per se...
I don't think it's vitally important to have any sort of exact
ratio. I think everyone needs to explore for themselves how they
feel at different ratios of fat, protein, and carbohydrates.
After all, the most important aspect to your success is your total
calorific intake vs your calorific expenditure over a given time period.
But where carbohydrate intake becomes important is in how it can
affect your hormones and blood sugar in your body and stimulate
cravings. You could tell someone to eat 2500 calories/day of a
higher fat and higher protein content combined with reduced carbs
and they may actually finish the day at 2500 calories because their
appetite is satisfied.
However, tell that same person to eat 2500 calories per day in a
high carb fashion, and they may end up eating 3000 or more calories
per day because the higher carbohydrate diet stimulated their
cravings and they ended up overeating.
If you throw a big steak in front of someone and a
big pile of vegetables, their appetite may well be satisfied when they've done for hours afterward. However, you throw a big plate
of pasta in front of someone, they may devour the entire plate, and
then head back for seconds and maybe even thirds.
This is what happens for a lot of people... once you start eating
large portions of carbs like pasta or rice or cereals, it becomes
hard to stop and then you're craving more carbs an hour later too!
So what I've found to work best for most people
in the past is to eat in a "controlled carbs" manner... this
doesn't mean atkins style... it means very reduced grains, zero
refined sugars (to the best of ability of avoiding), and instead,
getting almost all of your healthy carbs from vegetables, fruits,
and maybe beans on occasion.
This ends up being very similar to the hunter-gatherer type of diet
of meats, eggs, nuts, seeds, fruits, and veggies, which I believe
is the healthiest way to eat.
Sometimes it just takes thinking a little differently about the way
you eat and what's considered "normal" in order to get rid of some
of the useless grains and sugars in your diet.
For example, why do we need to eat a burger on a bun? Most people
don't even think of doing it any other way because that's what's
"normal".
Think about breakfast......
do you really "need" the toast with your eggs, or can you do much
better with loads of veggies with your eggs instead?
Whats good for breakfast?
Whole eggs with cheese and loads of veggies, avocado, and some green or white tea with a little raw honey.
So I get my carbs from the veggies and the little bit of raw honey
instead of from the typical toast and orange juice that loads you
up with extra carbs.
...Just some ideas in case it helps you to think differently about
where you get your carbs from.
Food for thought?
This material is for guidance only and does not constitute medical advice, just thought provoking ideas.
Weight loss - Simple!
Want to reach your weight loss goals...Simple...Just Move
It's actually very simple; if you want a trim, fit, healthy body
that will be yours forever, you have to move, and you have to
move often.
Here is a simple question I ask everyone who tells
me that they feel run down, unhealthy and depressed.
"How many times a week do you elevate your heart
rate to 70% of it's maximum for 10 minutes or more?"
Guess what the answer is almost 100% of the time?
"Never"
You must add movement habits to your life
if you want to be fit, trim and healthy.
If you live a sedentary lifestyle your health will suffer,
that is a guarantee. If you want to feel and look good
you have to move and you have to move often.
"Real-life activities happen standing. We are rarely
if ever asked to apply force in a sitting position or laying down.
We live in a dynamic, free weight, three dimensional environment.
Your training should stress whole-body multi-dimensional movements,
so each exercise trains the most musculature, burns the most
calories, elevates the whole body's metabolism, and has the highest
transference into real world or athletic abilities. In short, you
get the biggest bang for your buck."
* Walk more everyday
* Buy a pedometer and track how many steps you take each day.
* Do exercises like jumping jacks, rope jumping and running in
place while watching TV.
* Go to your library or bookshop and get books on exercise.
* Become a fitness maniac....read about it, do it,
make it a daily part of your life....you will be rewarded.
How important is movement?
Being overweight and physically inactive accounts for more
than 300,000 premature deaths annually in the United States,
second only to deaths related to smoking.
A study done at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
at Dallas found that a 50-year-old could be brought back to the
fitness levels of a 20-year-old with just 6 months of
exercise training!
What can Movement habits do for me?
Well for one thing, they can help you reach your goal of a trim
and fit body and maintain it permanently. Combine them with other
diet and positive movement habits and you have a powerful
combination that will get you trim fast.
Does that sound good to you? They can also improve your health,
make you look younger, and can increase your longevity.
Let's see, positive movement habits can help me live longer and
while I am living longer I will have a trim and fit body and
look younger......not a bad combination, wouldn't you say?
To make daily movement a part of your lifestyle, you simply have to
acquire positive movement habits. Once you have acquired them,
they will be yours forever and so will the benefits that come with
them. They will help you to achieve the trim and fit body you have
been wanting and help you to maintain it.
It's actually very simple; if you want a trim, fit, healthy body
that will be yours forever, you have to move, and you have to
move often.
Here is a simple question I ask everyone who tells
me that they feel run down, unhealthy and depressed.
"How many times a week do you elevate your heart
rate to 70% of it's maximum for 10 minutes or more?"
Guess what the answer is almost 100% of the time?
"Never"
You must add movement habits to your life
if you want to be fit, trim and healthy.
If you live a sedentary lifestyle your health will suffer,
that is a guarantee. If you want to feel and look good
you have to move and you have to move often.
"Real-life activities happen standing. We are rarely
if ever asked to apply force in a sitting position or laying down.
We live in a dynamic, free weight, three dimensional environment.
Your training should stress whole-body multi-dimensional movements,
so each exercise trains the most musculature, burns the most
calories, elevates the whole body's metabolism, and has the highest
transference into real world or athletic abilities. In short, you
get the biggest bang for your buck."
* Walk more everyday
* Buy a pedometer and track how many steps you take each day.
* Do exercises like jumping jacks, rope jumping and running in
place while watching TV.
* Go to your library or bookshop and get books on exercise.
* Become a fitness maniac....read about it, do it,
make it a daily part of your life....you will be rewarded.
How important is movement?
Being overweight and physically inactive accounts for more
than 300,000 premature deaths annually in the United States,
second only to deaths related to smoking.
A study done at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
at Dallas found that a 50-year-old could be brought back to the
fitness levels of a 20-year-old with just 6 months of
exercise training!
What can Movement habits do for me?
Well for one thing, they can help you reach your goal of a trim
and fit body and maintain it permanently. Combine them with other
diet and positive movement habits and you have a powerful
combination that will get you trim fast.
Does that sound good to you? They can also improve your health,
make you look younger, and can increase your longevity.
Let's see, positive movement habits can help me live longer and
while I am living longer I will have a trim and fit body and
look younger......not a bad combination, wouldn't you say?
To make daily movement a part of your lifestyle, you simply have to
acquire positive movement habits. Once you have acquired them,
they will be yours forever and so will the benefits that come with
them. They will help you to achieve the trim and fit body you have
been wanting and help you to maintain it.
Why excess abdominal fat is more DEADLY than you think
The Hidden Dangers of Your Excess Abdominal Fat - It's More Serious
Than a Vanity Issue!
according to Mike Geary, Certified Nutrition Specialist, Certified Personal
Trainer
Did you know that the vast majority of people in this day and age
have excess abdominal fat? The first thing that most people think
of is that their extra abdominal fat is simply ugly, is covering up
their abs from being visible, and makes them self conscious about
showing off their body.
However, what most people don't realize is that excess abdominal
fat in particular, is not only ugly, but is also a dangerous risk
factor to your health. Scientific research has clearly demonstrated
that although it is unhealthy in general to have excess body fat
throughout your body, it is also particularly dangerous to have
excess abdominal fat.
There are two types of fat that you have in your abdominal area.
The first type that covers up your abs from being visible is called
subcutaneous fat and lies directly beneath the skin and on top of
the abdominal muscles.
The second type of fat that you have in your abdominal area is
called visceral fat, and that lies deeper in the abdomen beneath
your muscle and surrounding your organs. Visceral fat also plays a
role in giving certain men that "beer belly" appearance where their
abdomen protrudes excessively but at the same time, also feels sort
of hard if you push on it.
Both subcutaneous fat and visceral fat in the abdominal area are
serious health risk factors, but science has shown that having
excessive visceral fat is even more dangerous than subcutaneous
fat. Both of them greatly increase the risk of developing
heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke, sleep apnea,
various forms of cancer, and other degenerative diseases.
Part of the reason visceral fat is particularly dangerous is that
it apparently releases more inflammatory molecules into your body
on a consistent basis.
If you care about the quality of your life and your loved ones,
reducing your abdominal fat should be one of your TOP priorities!
There's just no way around it. Besides, a side-effect of finally
getting rid of all of that excessive ugly abdominal fat is that
your stomach will flatten out, and if you lose enough stomach fat,
you will be able to visibly see those sexy six pack abs that
everyone wants.
So what gets rid of extra abdominal fat? Is there actually a REAL
solution beyond all of the gimmicks and hype that you see in ads
and on commercials for "miracle" fat loss products?
The first thing you must understand is that there is absolutely NO
quick fix solution. There are no pills or supplements of any sort
that will help you lose your abdominal fat faster. Also, none of
the gimmicky ab rockers, rollers, or ab belts will help get rid of
abdominal fat either. You can't spot reduce your stomach fat by
using any of these worthless contraptions. It simply doesn't work
that way.
The ONLY solution to consistently lose your abdominal fat and keep
it off for good is to combine a sound nutritious diet full of
unprocessed natural foods with a properly designed strategic
exercise programme that stimulates the necessary hormonal and
metabolic response within your body. Both your food intake as well
as your training programme are important if you are to get this right.
I've actually even seen a particular study that divided thousands
of participants into a diet-only group and an exercise/diet group.
While both groups in this study made good progress, the diet-only
group lost significantly LESS abdominal fat than the diet &
exercise combined group.
Now the important thing to realize is that just any old exercise
program will not necessarily do the trick. The majority of people
that attempt getting into a good exercise routine are NOT working
out effectively enough to really stimulate the loss of stubborn
abdominal fat. I see this everyday at the gym.
Most people will do your typical boring ineffective cardio
routines, throw in a little outdated body-part style weight
training, and pump away with some crunches and side bends, and
think that they are doing something useful for reducing their
abdominal fat. Then they become frustrated after weeks or months of
no results and wonder where they went wrong.
Well, the good news is that I've spent over a decade researching
this topic, analyzing the science, and applying it "in the
trenches" with myself as well as thousands of my clients from all
over the world to see what works to really stimulate abdominal fat
loss.
The only reason most people fail in their fitness goals is that
they have good intentions at first to adopt a new lifestyle, yet
after a few weeks or months, they abandon their good intentions and
slip right back into their old bad habits that gave them the excess
body fat in the first place.
I can help you succeed in finally getting rid of that extra
abdominal fat that is not only UGLY, but also DANGEROUS.
Don't waste another day allowing that nasty abdominal fat to kill
your confidence as well as contribute to your risk for MAJOR
diseases.
The contents of this blog are not to be considered as medical
advice. Always consult your Doctor before beginning or changing any
exercise, fitness or nutritional programme.
Than a Vanity Issue!
according to Mike Geary, Certified Nutrition Specialist, Certified Personal
Trainer
Did you know that the vast majority of people in this day and age
have excess abdominal fat? The first thing that most people think
of is that their extra abdominal fat is simply ugly, is covering up
their abs from being visible, and makes them self conscious about
showing off their body.
However, what most people don't realize is that excess abdominal
fat in particular, is not only ugly, but is also a dangerous risk
factor to your health. Scientific research has clearly demonstrated
that although it is unhealthy in general to have excess body fat
throughout your body, it is also particularly dangerous to have
excess abdominal fat.
There are two types of fat that you have in your abdominal area.
The first type that covers up your abs from being visible is called
subcutaneous fat and lies directly beneath the skin and on top of
the abdominal muscles.
The second type of fat that you have in your abdominal area is
called visceral fat, and that lies deeper in the abdomen beneath
your muscle and surrounding your organs. Visceral fat also plays a
role in giving certain men that "beer belly" appearance where their
abdomen protrudes excessively but at the same time, also feels sort
of hard if you push on it.
Both subcutaneous fat and visceral fat in the abdominal area are
serious health risk factors, but science has shown that having
excessive visceral fat is even more dangerous than subcutaneous
fat. Both of them greatly increase the risk of developing
heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke, sleep apnea,
various forms of cancer, and other degenerative diseases.
Part of the reason visceral fat is particularly dangerous is that
it apparently releases more inflammatory molecules into your body
on a consistent basis.
If you care about the quality of your life and your loved ones,
reducing your abdominal fat should be one of your TOP priorities!
There's just no way around it. Besides, a side-effect of finally
getting rid of all of that excessive ugly abdominal fat is that
your stomach will flatten out, and if you lose enough stomach fat,
you will be able to visibly see those sexy six pack abs that
everyone wants.
So what gets rid of extra abdominal fat? Is there actually a REAL
solution beyond all of the gimmicks and hype that you see in ads
and on commercials for "miracle" fat loss products?
The first thing you must understand is that there is absolutely NO
quick fix solution. There are no pills or supplements of any sort
that will help you lose your abdominal fat faster. Also, none of
the gimmicky ab rockers, rollers, or ab belts will help get rid of
abdominal fat either. You can't spot reduce your stomach fat by
using any of these worthless contraptions. It simply doesn't work
that way.
The ONLY solution to consistently lose your abdominal fat and keep
it off for good is to combine a sound nutritious diet full of
unprocessed natural foods with a properly designed strategic
exercise programme that stimulates the necessary hormonal and
metabolic response within your body. Both your food intake as well
as your training programme are important if you are to get this right.
I've actually even seen a particular study that divided thousands
of participants into a diet-only group and an exercise/diet group.
While both groups in this study made good progress, the diet-only
group lost significantly LESS abdominal fat than the diet &
exercise combined group.
Now the important thing to realize is that just any old exercise
program will not necessarily do the trick. The majority of people
that attempt getting into a good exercise routine are NOT working
out effectively enough to really stimulate the loss of stubborn
abdominal fat. I see this everyday at the gym.
Most people will do your typical boring ineffective cardio
routines, throw in a little outdated body-part style weight
training, and pump away with some crunches and side bends, and
think that they are doing something useful for reducing their
abdominal fat. Then they become frustrated after weeks or months of
no results and wonder where they went wrong.
Well, the good news is that I've spent over a decade researching
this topic, analyzing the science, and applying it "in the
trenches" with myself as well as thousands of my clients from all
over the world to see what works to really stimulate abdominal fat
loss.
The only reason most people fail in their fitness goals is that
they have good intentions at first to adopt a new lifestyle, yet
after a few weeks or months, they abandon their good intentions and
slip right back into their old bad habits that gave them the excess
body fat in the first place.
I can help you succeed in finally getting rid of that extra
abdominal fat that is not only UGLY, but also DANGEROUS.
Don't waste another day allowing that nasty abdominal fat to kill
your confidence as well as contribute to your risk for MAJOR
diseases.
The contents of this blog are not to be considered as medical
advice. Always consult your Doctor before beginning or changing any
exercise, fitness or nutritional programme.
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