Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Antioxidants

People talk about antioxidants a lot but what are they and why should you care?

I am reminded often by my clients how red wine contains antioxidants... I don't know that they know what they are or what they do, but it's their favorite excuse for a glass of wine :)

Antioxidants are substances that may protect your cells against the effects of free radicals. Antioxidants are found in many foods. These include fruits and vegetables, nuts, grains, and some meats, poultry and fish.

Examples of antioxidants include beta-carotene, lycopene, vitamins C, E, and A

Free radicals are molecules produced when your body breaks down food or by environmental exposures like tobacco smoke and radiation. Free radicals can damage cells, and may play a role in heart disease, cancer, diabetes, macular degeneration and other diseases. Antioxidants may also enhance immune defense and therefore lower the risk of cancer and infection.

Because they have one or more unpaired electrons, free radicals are highly unstable. They scavenge your body to grab or donate electrons, thereby damaging cells, proteins, and DNA (genetic material).

The same oxidative process is also what causes oils to become rancid, peeled apples to turn brown, and iron to rust.

It is impossible for us to avoid damage by free radicals. Free radicals arise from sources both inside and outside our bodies.

Oxidants that develop from processes within our bodies form as a result of normal aerobic respiration, metabolism, and inflammation. Exogenous free radicals form from environmental factors such as pollution, sunlight, strenuous exercise, X-rays, smoking and alcohol. Our antioxidant systems are not perfect, so as we age, cell parts damaged by oxidation accumulate.

Until more studies are done, it is best to get your antioxidants from a diet rich in fruits and vegetables rather than from supplements. Taking supplements in high doses can be harmful. No single antioxidant alone can protect the body. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not regulate dietary supplements in the same way it regulates medicines. A dietary supplement can be sold with limited or no research on how well it works.

Regular physical exercise enhances the antioxidant defense system and protects against exercise induced free radical damage. This is an important finding because it shows how smart the body is about adapting to the demands of exercise. These changes occur slowly over time and appear to parallel other adaptations to exercise.

On the other hand, intense exercise in untrained individuals overwhelms defenses resulting in increased free radical damage. Thus, the "weekend warrior" who is predominantly sedentary during the week but engages in vigorous bouts of exercise during the weekend may be doing more harm than good. To this end there are many factors which may determine whether exercise induced free radical damage occurs, including degree of conditioning of the athlete, intensity of exercise, and diet.

Although there is little doubt that antioxidants are a necessary component for good health, no one knows if supplements should be taken and, if so, how much. Antioxidants supplements were once thought to be harmless but increasingly we are becoming aware of interactions and potential toxicity. It is interesting to note that, in the normal concentrations found in the body, vitamin C and beta-carotene are antioxidants; but at higher concentrations they are pro-oxidants and, thus, harmful. Also, very little is known about the long term consequences of megadoses of antioxidants. The body's finely tuned mechanisms are carefully balanced to withstand a variety of insults. Taking chemicals without a complete understanding of all of their effects may disrupt this balance.

Thursday, July 14, 2011

The Power Of Love & Positive Energy

MIND OVER MATTER

“Natural forces within us are the true healers of disease”

Hippocrates (circa 460 – 370BC) Father of western medicine.

You may think that being “healthy” means that you are not sick, but being healthy is far more than that. If you feel okay, or average, or nothing much at all, you are not healthy.

Remember what you felt like as a little kid? Bursting with energy every day? When you were a child your body felt light, flexible, and moving was effortless.

Children’s minds are clear, happy, free of worry and stress. They sleep deeply, and peacefully every night and wake up feeling refreshed and recharged. Look at a little kid and you’ll see what healthy is… you’ll be looking at the way you should STILL feel regardless of your age. It’s that peace of mind that creates that health inside them.

“For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he”

King Solomon (circa 10th century BC)

What you think in your heart is what you believe to be true, and then THAT becomes your reality. Beliefs are simply repeated thoughts with strong feelings attached to them. When you say things like “I catch colds easily”, “I have a sensitive stomach”, “I can’t lose weight”, “I’m a weakling”, “I’m a wuss” these are all beliefs not facts. You make them real by constantly reinforcing these beliefs in your own mind and heart.

Whatever you believe and feel is true WILL be true for you, whether the beliefs hurt or help you. Whatever beliefs you give out you will receive back in turn.

You have so much more control over your body, and your own destiny than you realize or give yourself credit for. Knowing this… why not use this power to your advantage rather than perpetuate the negatives in your life?

People tend to fear illness and disease more than they appreciate the good health they have. So much of their energy is focused on the negative that it’s all they’ll notice, and will always feel sick, tired, slow or whatever they believe about themselves. Whereas if they took notice of the times they were healthy and gave love and appreciation for it, focused on the positive, shared it with others, they’d find themselves in a healthier state more consistently for longer periods of time.

THE PLACEBO EFFECT

The placebo effect in medicine is proof of the power of belief. One group of patients will be given real medicine or treatment of some kind, and another group will be given the placebo. A sugar pill or fake treatment. Neither is told who has which. The group that gets the placebo often experiences significant improvements and the reduction or even complete disappearance of symptoms. The mere power of suggestion reinforced by genuine belief told their bodies to make the appropriate changes they were looking for. The sugar pill was merely a physical representation of it all. Something for you to label as the cause for the effect… when in reality your own thoughts and feelings were the cause.

Your feelings saturate every cell and organ in your body. When you feel good you receive the full force of health through your body. When you have bad feelings, the tension causes your nerves and cells to contract, the vital chemical production in your body changes, your blood vessels contract, and your breathing becomes shallow, all of which reduces the health in your organs and your entire body. These are all legitimate physical changes that take place in your body based entirely on your feelings.

Disease is simply the result of a body’s not being at ease over a long period of time, because of negative feelings like stress, worry, and fear. This is why I’ll make mention to my clients when I think it sounds like they’re overwhelmed or baring too much stress in their lives. It’s affecting their ability not only to be healthy but to achieve the goals we’ve set.

“Your emotions affect every cell in your body. Mind and body, mental and physical, are intertwined”

Thomas Culko (B. 1931) - Sports Psychologist and Author

Focusing on the negatives of yourself simply keeps you locked in a state that will perpetuate more negative feelings about yourself. It’s up to YOU to break the cycle.

Love and appreciate the parts of you that you are both physically/emotionally happy with and ignore the rest. Don’t give the rest the attention of negativity. You’re only giving more power to the enemy. You’re fueling the negative fire.

Many people have been able to create illness in themselves by simply fearing the possibility of illness. Their body then reacts by creating the symptoms of the illness they fear. This is using your own power against yourself. Now throw it in reverse and you can feel as healthy and great as you can imagine!

“Face towards the perfect image of every organ, and the shadows of disease will never touch you”

Robert Collier (1885-1950)
New Thought Author

Scientists at the Institute of HeartMath in California have shown that feeling love, gratitude, and appreciation in your heart boosts your immune system ; increases vital chemical production; increases physical vitality and vigor; reduces stress hormone levels, high blood pressure, anxiety, guilt, and burnout; and improves glucose regulation in diabetics. It also creates a more harmonious rhythm of your heart. HeartMath has shown that the magnetic field of the heart is 5,000 times more powerful than the magnetic field of the brain, and reaches out several feet from the body.

Now soak all that up for a second…

Look at how much there is to be gained by merely focusing on love, and all the positives in your life. Whatever they may be, or however small they may seem, taking the few minutes in the cracks of your day to merely acknowledge the good in your life keeps your mood up. You can’t be thinking positively and negatively at the same time. It’s one or the other. So the more you make a conscious effort to focus on the positives, not only will you feel better emotionally, but your body will follow suit! What a fantastic tool to have with you the rest of your life, and it will never cost you anything. Merely a few moments of your day, and aren’t those few moments worth the unending rewards?

WATER

In recent years scientists have done extensive research revolutionizing our understanding of the effects of love/positive energy on our health through experiments with water. What does water have to do with your health? Well let’s start with the fact that your body is made up of 70% water, and your head is 80% water! You’re more water than anything else!

Researchers in Russia, Japan, Europe, and the United States have discovered when water is exposed to positive words and feelings such as love and gratitude, the energy level of the water not only increases but the structure of the water physically changes making it perfectly harmonious.

Equally when water is exposed to negative emotions such as hate, the energy level of the water decreases and chaotic changes occur, negatively affecting the structure of the water.

I’ve always compared this to the pink “mood slime” in Ghostbusters 2.

So, if human emotions can affect the structure of water, and your body is 70% water, imagine what your feelings do to the health of your body! Think of the power and control one can have over themselves if they make the conscious effort to do so.

The center of every one of your cells in your body is water, surrounded by another layer of water. Your negative/positive energy is affecting around 100 TRILLION of these cells in your body. This knowledge is being used as legitimate treatment from everything from Cancer to MS and so much more. You can use this knowledge to create a better YOU in whatever way you can imagine. So long as the feelings are positive, and most importantly genuine. You have to BELIEVE in the positives.

This may take more practice for some than others. But if you are making a consistent conscious effort to focus on the positive in everything in your life no matter how small, you will have no choice but to start feeling more positively all around.

Whether you take a moment to appreciate your love of your family, the roof over your head, the car you drive, running water, electricity, a beautiful day… ANYTHING! Each day make a list of 10 things/people/places that you LOVE! Even if it’s the same list everyday just simply going through the motions of it is enough to have spent at least that much time filling your mind with positive energy.  Just giving out that positive love and appreciation will affect you both mentally AND physically!

“Think of love as if it were water in a glass, and the glass is your body. When a glass has only a little water in it, it is empty of water. You can’t change the water level in the glass by waging war on the emptiness and trying to rip out the emptiness. When you have bad feelings you are empty of love, and so when you put love into yourself the bad feelings are gone.”

Rhonda Byrne – Author

So rather than trying to eliminate the negatives by focusing on them you merely eliminate them by focusing on the positives… leaving no room for the negatives to exist.

Think about all of this. Try it. Put it into practice. Nothing bad ever came of being positive… and that right there says something.

“Love draws forth love”

St. Teresa of Avila (1515-1582) Nun, Mystic, & Writer

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

CONGRATULATIONS JULIE!!!


I just wanted to take a moment to congratulate Julie Zavala who after recently taking 2nd place in her very first bodybuilding competition will now be heading off to Arkansas for 2 years to get her Masters Degree and will be a Graduate Assistant Coach at Arkansas State University for the Women’s Soccer Team!!!

This is a fantastic opportunity for her and I’m very excited for and proud of her!

There truly are no limits to what she (or anyone else for that matter) can do!

Good luck Julie… We all know you’ll do great!!!

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Optimum Nutrition's "Whey Crisp Bar"

One common obstacle many people dieting face is the need for something either sweet, crunchy, or both. 

Well Optimum Nutrition recently started releasing their new "Whey Crisp Bar". I love 'em.

There are currently two flavors. "Marshmallow Treat" which tastes like a Rice Krispie Treat or " Double Rich Chocolate" which tastes to me like a Kudos Bar. They're sweet and crunchy. I've found them to be good mid-afternoon Meal 4 snacks to give you that last boost you need to make it through the home stretch of the rest of your day.

The nutritional information is as follows:


Box of 12 Marshmellow Treat

Serving Size: 1 Bar (70g)
Servings Per Container: 12
Amount Per ServingAmt%DV
Calories250
Calories from Fat25
Total Fat2.5g4%
  Saturated Fat1.5g8%
  Trans Fat0g
Cholesterol30mg10%
Sodium75mg3%
Total Carbohydrate34g11%
  Dietary Fiber1g4%
  Sugars7g
  Protein25g
Vitamin A0%
Vitamin C0%
Calcium25%
Iron6%
* % Daily Value is based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower based on your calorie needs.
† Daily Value (DV) not established.


Box of 12 Double Rich Chocolate

Serving Size: 1 Bar (70g)
Servings Per Container: 12
Amount Per ServingAmt%DV
Calories260
Calories from Fat40
Total Fat4.5g7%
  Saturated Fat2g10%
  Trans Fat0g
Cholesterol30mg10%
Sodium100mg4%
Total Carbohydrate34g11%
  Dietary Fiber1g4%
  Sugars6g
  Protein25g
Vitamin A0%
Vitamin C0%
Calcium25%
Iron8%
* % Daily Value is based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower based on your calorie needs.
† Daily Value (DV) not established.


Tuesday, June 21, 2011

The Importance Of Fiber

Fiber is the part of plant-based foods that our bodies actually can’t digest. It just passes right through our digestive tract without providing any nutrition or calories, and yet it’s incredibly important to your health.

Now we all know that fiber helps keep you “regular”, but it also binds to carcinogens in our intestines and moves them through your colon much faster reducing your risk for colon cancer. It also moves cholesterol out of your body reducing your risk for heart disease. All this AND it helps move fat through our digestive system faster so that less of it is absorbed.

Fiber can be a great tool for those who suffer from overeating. Foods rich in fiber slow down your rate of digestion making you feel “full” longer.

Most foods high in protein like meat and dairy products contain no fiber, and refined grains are stripped of most of their fiber. This is why high protein/zero carb diets can leave you feeling "bound up". Fruits, some vegetables, brown rice, and whole grains (wheat, oats, barley) are all fiber rich foods.

Supplements like Benefiber can be used as well to get your fiber levels up to their optimum levels.

White rice, sugary breakfast cereals, and white bread having been stripped of most of their fiber nutrients, turn into glucose so fast they can cause a spike in insulin levels. There are a few problems with this…

Such a spike tells your body that it has plenty of energy readily available and that there’s no need to burn fat, and stores it instead. Inevitably your insulin then drops leaving you feeling tired, and hungry specifically craving foods high in sugar content. No good! This can start a vicious cycle that can lead to significant weight gain as well as other health issues.

Therefore, eating foods with plenty of fiber maintains a more consistent blood sugar level in your body.

So how much fiber is recommended?

Women
25 grams per day, for women younger than 50
21 grams per day, for women older than 50

Men
38 grams per day, for men younger than 50
30 grams per day, for men older than 50

Some will find that added fiber will constipate them having the opposite effect of what you’re intending it for. This is more often than not due to lack of water. Lots of fluids are needed to push that fiber (and everything else for that matter) through your system. 

Thursday, June 16, 2011

Sugar Cravings

What Causes Sugar Cravings?

Sugar cravings can come from both physical and mental causes.

Sugar is a source of energy for your body. So when it needs energy it produces adrenaline. The adrenaline calls for sugar to fuel it. Lack of energy isn’t the only trigger for adrenaline to be produced though. Stress will set your body off to produce it as well. It’s a survival mechanism. Just like if you were being chased by a bear!

Daily stresses such as difficulties at work, home, personal life etc. will trigger lower but constant adrenaline levels thus causing a craving for sweets. This is one reason why sugary foods can be such a “comfort” when you’re feeling stressed or down.

This can also leads to a mental association with sugar and feeling “better”. So, even if your body doesn’t require sugar on a physical/chemical level your brain associates it as a solution to your mood and thus triggers your desire for it.

Another reason sugar can have such a relieving feeling is that it increases endorphin levels in your brain which has a pain relieving effect making you feel good. Sugar cravings are associated with premenstrual syndrome on account of the drop in endorphins that a woman experiences during this time, thus their craving for sugar kicks in.

Imbalances in a person’s serotonin levels can also play a major part in sugar cravings as serotonin has a large impact on your mood.

As much as sugar can provide you energy… once you have burned through it, or if you overindulge in it and saturate yourself with it, you will face an inevitable “crash” and feel suddenly very tired and lethargic.

So how much sugar should you have?

The general ratio for someone on a 2000 calorie a day diet shouldn’t exceed more than 40g of sugar in a day. If you want to get more specific about it… As per the latest details from the American Heart Association (AHA), the recommended daily sugar intake, that is healthy and not harmful for the body, has been established for men, women and children:
  • Recommended Daily Sugar Intake for Men: 36 grams
  • Recommended Daily Sugar Intake for Women: 20 grams
  • Recommended Daily Sugar Intake for Children: 12 grams
Now don’t freak out! I know that seems low, and you’re saying… “Tommy! A piece of fruit has more than that!” This is true. When recommendations for “sugar” intake are made in this scenario it refers to what are called “added sugars” or “white sugar”. These are sugars found in cereal, peanut butter, anything but fruits or vegetables really.  A recent finding shows that even ONE slice of whole wheat bread has about 5 grams of added sugar. That means if a woman eats a slice of whole-wheat bread, she has accomplished 1/4 of her recommended daily sugar intake.

So what do you do about it?

Well there are several basic steps one can take to try and control one’s sugar intake in spite of their cravings.

Protein

Now this isn’t just me getting on my protein “soap box”, but often your body will exhibit cravings for sweets when what it really needs is protein. So, keeping a high protein diet will help limit your sugar cravings.

Fruits

If you find yourself craving sugar go for fruit. The sugars in fruits are not the same as sugar found in candy, or baked goods known as “white sugar”. It processes differently in your body, aids in digestion, carries nutrients in them unlike the empty calories of white sugar, and they are sweet! Do they contain sugar? Yes, but these are “free” sugars. These don’t get counted against you. Besides, if you’re going to have sugar at least get something out of it!

Timing

Try to hold off on foods with significant sugar levels in them until later in the day around the late afternoon or early evening. The reason being, if you start your morning off with say a sugary cereal it will stimulate sugar cravings throughout the day.

Avoid Artificial Sweeteners

Artificial sweeteners have been known to increase your cravings for sweets. So while they may fill a void temporarily they may ultimately be digging you a deeper hole you’ll inevitably fill with a binge of bad sugars.

Meal Frequency

Meal frequency helps not only maintain a higher metabolic fat burning level in your body, but also helps regulate consistent blood sugar levels. This way you are less likely to find yourself with a drop in sugar levels leaving you with an insatiable desire for sweets. Yet another good reason to eat multiple well balanced meals throughout your day.

So, keep an eye on those sugar levels, maintain your meal frequency, keep your protein up, and you should find yourself having fewer, and more controlled sugar cravings. Thus resulting in weight loss, and a healthier you!

Monday, June 13, 2011

Sodium

Paying attention to your sodium levels is important not only in dieting for weight loss, but in maintaining a healthy diet in general.

Sodium levels have a way of creeping up on you and achieving high and even dangerous levels due to the way that food is produced, and distributed in the world today. Sodium is used to preserve foods, or add flavor to foods boasting a sugar free status. So pre-packaged/canned foods, frozen meats, and fast food are all very high in sodium.

Sodium is important as is it used by your body to regulate blood pressure, and blood volume. It’s also critical for the functioning of muscles and nerves. These are all pretty important processes controlled by something that few people pay much attention to.

So how much sodium should you take in? Your average healthy adult on a 2,000 calorie a day diet should be keeping their sodium at 2,300mg or less. People who suffer high blood pressure, and or are dieting for weight loss should keep their sodium at 1500mg or less.

Sodium does not cause you to gain or lose fat. It has no calories. High levels of sodium however do cause you to retain water. The higher your sodium intake the more water your body retains, and vice versa. After we consume large amounts of salt, it is the water moving from our bloodstream into our skin that gives us that "puffy" look. When we consume lesser amounts of salt, the same process works in reverse to remove the excess water from our bodies.

It also is one of the leading causes of high blood pressure or hypertension which can lead to strokes, heart attacks as well as heart and kidney failure.

Though the terms are often used interchangeably, salt and sodium are not the same thing. Sodium, which is found naturally in most foods, accounts for approximately 40% of table salt. Therefore when salt is added to food, the sodium content increases by approximately 40% of the amount of salt added.

Our bodies rely on electrolytes, most significantly sodium and potassium, to carry the electrical impulses that control our bodily functions. In order for our bodies to function properly, it is important that the concentration of electrolytes in our bodies remain constant. Which means maintaining a consistent yet healthy level of sodium in your diet.

A high concentration of sodium in our blood triggers our thirst mechanism, causing us to consume adequate amounts of water to return to the proper concentration of electrolytes. This is one of the reasons why bars provide free salty snacks like pretzels and peanuts. The salt causes us to become thirsty and drink more.

Here are some examples of sodium levels in various forms of food from fast food, canned, to frozen:

Fast Foods

Burger King - Tendergrill Garden Salad: 920mg
McDonalds - Premium Southwest Salad With Grilled Chicken: 960mg
Subway - 6” Subway Club (from the 6g of fat or less menu): 880mg
KFC - Grilled Chicken Breast: 460mg
Taco Bell - Fresco Chicken Soft Taco from the drive thru “diet menu”: 480mg

Canned Foods/Condiments

Campbell’s – 1 Cup Chicken Noodle Soup: 870mg
Del Monte – ½ Cup of Cut Green Beans:  390mg
Progresso “Light” – 1 Cup Chicken Noodle Soup: 690mg
Diet Sodas/Crystal Light – Can have anywhere from 30 to 70mg per 8oz

Heinz Ketchup – 1 Tbsp: 160mg
French’s Yellow Mustard – 1 Tsp: 55mg
Hellman’s Low Fat Mayonnaise – 1 Tbsp: 130mg
Molly Mcbutter  Fat Free Natural Butter Flavor – 1 Tsp: 190 mg
A-1 Steak Sauce – 1 Tbsp: 280mg

Compared to frozen foods you might have at home…

Tyson – Grilled Skinless Chicken Breast: 220mg
Omaha Steaks – Grilled Skinless Chicken Breast: 130mg
Gorton’s – Signature Grilled Tilapia: 140mg
Jennie-O – All Natural ¼ lb Turkey Burgers: 160mg

Think about how quickly that can add up past your daily recommended sodium requirements!

Your best bet at keeping your sodium levels down is to buy fresh meats, fruits, and vegetables. This will limit added sodium to them. You do however have to eat the food before it goes bad, or freeze it on your own. Sodium is used as a preservative that allows you the convenience of storing foods for long periods of time without it going bad, or the ability to toss it in the microwave and heat it up.