By Dr. Ray Sahelian
You may think you're up on the latest health information. But even if you were to read all the thousands of medical journals out there, you probably wouldn't be getting the whole story. Because when they are trying to get their studies published, drug companies are more likely to submit outcomes of those that favor benefits of the new drugs they are promoting.
Understandable, maybe. But that means you may not be aware of the poor outcomes of many new drugs. In fact, many trials that showed poor outcomes were still not published several years after the FDA approved the drug.
An independent review of these studies concludes: "The information that is readily available in the scientific literature to health care professionals is incomplete and potentially biased."
This should make you even more skeptical about the benefits touted by drug companies.
Discuss all new medications thoroughly with your doctor - and be sure to get a second opinion if anything seems fishy or too good to be true.
Monday, December 29, 2008
Saturday, December 27, 2008
Risking Cancer With This Fat?
By Shane "The People's Chemist" Ellison
You know by now that there are "good" fats and "bad" fats. And you've probably heard that small amounts of omega-6 fatty acids from seeds and plants are essential for your body. When combined with omega-3 fatty acids from fish, omega-6s appear to play an integral role in maintaining health. Together, these two fats can help regulate brain development, energy production, and immune function, and control inflammation.
However, large quantities of omega-6s promote oxidative stress by disabling the body's second defense against cancer: the antioxidant. Adding insult to injury, they increase inflammation within skin cells. And inflammation can be a driving force behind the growth of skin cancer and its ability to spread to nearby tissues and organs.
This omega-6 threat did not exist 100 years ago. Our ancestors consumed only small quantities of omega-6 in the form of whole corn, seeds, and legumes. Their ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 was about 1:1. Today, a large segment of the population consumes a ratio of at least 20:1.
The omega-6 overdose exists thanks to the advent of technology - chemical extraction methods, to be exact. Instead of getting omega-6 in its natural state - from plants and seeds - our primary sources are now plant and seed oils (corn, safflower, and sunflower). A single tablespoon of omega-6-laden corn oil is derived from a whopping 12 to 18 ears of corn.
The ideal ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids has not yet been determined. One thing is certain, the overdose of omega-6 manifests into poor health as well as dry, brittle skin that predisposes us to skin cancer.
The best thing you can do to protect against skin cancer is rid your diet of omega-6-laden plant and seed oils while consuming more protective omega-3 fatty acids.
You know by now that there are "good" fats and "bad" fats. And you've probably heard that small amounts of omega-6 fatty acids from seeds and plants are essential for your body. When combined with omega-3 fatty acids from fish, omega-6s appear to play an integral role in maintaining health. Together, these two fats can help regulate brain development, energy production, and immune function, and control inflammation.
However, large quantities of omega-6s promote oxidative stress by disabling the body's second defense against cancer: the antioxidant. Adding insult to injury, they increase inflammation within skin cells. And inflammation can be a driving force behind the growth of skin cancer and its ability to spread to nearby tissues and organs.
This omega-6 threat did not exist 100 years ago. Our ancestors consumed only small quantities of omega-6 in the form of whole corn, seeds, and legumes. Their ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 was about 1:1. Today, a large segment of the population consumes a ratio of at least 20:1.
The omega-6 overdose exists thanks to the advent of technology - chemical extraction methods, to be exact. Instead of getting omega-6 in its natural state - from plants and seeds - our primary sources are now plant and seed oils (corn, safflower, and sunflower). A single tablespoon of omega-6-laden corn oil is derived from a whopping 12 to 18 ears of corn.
The ideal ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids has not yet been determined. One thing is certain, the overdose of omega-6 manifests into poor health as well as dry, brittle skin that predisposes us to skin cancer.
The best thing you can do to protect against skin cancer is rid your diet of omega-6-laden plant and seed oils while consuming more protective omega-3 fatty acids.
Friday, December 26, 2008
How To Win the Fat-Loss War
Every day, sneaky saboteurs are trying to defeat you in the fat-loss war. Everyone - from family to friends to co-workers to restaurant owners to TV advertisers - is conspiring against you to make you eat more and exercise less.
They might not be doing it on purpose or with bad intentions, but they are happier when you are fed, full, and flat out on the couch.
So you must always know your options.
You must have Plans A, B, C, D, and E. You must be prepared to counterattack. When they say "pizza," you say "sushi." When they say "take-out," you say, "I've already prepared my lunch." When they say "happy hour," you say "workout first."
And you must surround yourself with people who are fitter and healthier than you. The power of social support and POSITIVE peer pressure will help you take your health and fitness to the next level.
[Ed. Note: Finding health-conscious people with whom you can share your weight-loss struggles, diet and exercise techniques, and encouragement can help you lose weight. For a free source of support and a community of like-minded men and women, click here.
And for a topnotch fitness program that can help you burn fat and build muscle, check out Craig Ballantyne's Turbulence Training program right here
Monday, December 15, 2008
3 Things You Must Measure to Lose Weight
By Craig Ballantyne
One of the biggest mistakes folks make with a weight-loss program is not recording their diet, their workouts, and their progress.
I absolutely demand that my clients record (1) their daily meals and calories, (2) their sets, reps, and weights from each workout, and (3) their weight and other body measurements.
If you do those three things, you will succeed. And for maximum success, you should be making yourself accountable to others by sharing this information with them.
I know that sounds painful, but if you want improvement, you have to lay it on the line. Soliciting social support, both online and offline in the "real world," is a proven way to get help with your weight-loss efforts.
Just be careful who you share your progress with. You must share it only with people who are going to support you in a positive way.
One of the biggest mistakes folks make with a weight-loss program is not recording their diet, their workouts, and their progress.
I absolutely demand that my clients record (1) their daily meals and calories, (2) their sets, reps, and weights from each workout, and (3) their weight and other body measurements.
If you do those three things, you will succeed. And for maximum success, you should be making yourself accountable to others by sharing this information with them.
I know that sounds painful, but if you want improvement, you have to lay it on the line. Soliciting social support, both online and offline in the "real world," is a proven way to get help with your weight-loss efforts.
Just be careful who you share your progress with. You must share it only with people who are going to support you in a positive way.
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Can Cellphones Really Give You Cancer?
By Al Sears, MD
Some people think Senator Kennedy's cellphone caused it.
He was diagnosed last year with a malignant "glioma," a kind of brain cancer specifically considered a risk for cellphone users.
Should you be worried?
The truth is, cellphones have not been around long enough to give us the kind of long-term studies we really need to know for sure.
And the research is conflicting. Some studies show no increased risk. So I'm not ready to tell my readers and patients that cellphones definitely cause cancer. The FDA says, "The available scientific evidence does not show that any health problems are associated with using wireless phones." But they then add, "There is no proof, however, that wireless phones are absolutely safe."
Some of the most up-to-date research suggests that there is some cause for concern. Here's what I know:
Researchers in Israel found last year that people who used cellphones heavily experienced a 58 percent increase in "parotid tumors" - a cancer of the saliva gland near the ear.
Another study last year, this one out of Sweden, concluded that cellphone users are 10 times more likely to develop benign cancers of the ear and brain.
Several animal studies have found that the kind of radiation cellphones use can damage DNA in brain cells. Damaged DNA is one of the things that can turn healthy cells into cancer cells.
Cellphones use microwaves called "radio frequency radiation" (RF) to transmit signals. Their antennae emit most of the RF, and since you're holding the phone right next to your ear most of the time, a lot of it penetrates the brain - as much as 60 percent, according to some studies.
Depending on the size of your head and the amount of radiation coming from the specific type of phone you use, you may be literally "cooking" your brain. RF energy can potentially cause the temperature of your brain tissue to rise slightly.
To protect yourself from any potential risk from cellphone RF, here are a few guidelines:
Keep cellphone calls short.
Go with a "hands-free" headset or a speakerphone. These keep the cellphone from direct contact with your head.
Don't carry your cellphone in your chest or hip pocket. Even when in "standby" mode, cellphones continue to emit radiation, exposing whichever part of your body is closest.
When using a hands-free headset, let the wire extend fully between your head and the phone. This distributes RF in small amounts along the length of your body rather than concentrating it in any one location.
Look for a phone with "voice-activated" features. These enable you to place calls and perform other commands without having to hold the phone close to your head.
Use a standard "land line" whenever possible.
Find out the level of RF emissions for your cellphone. If the level is high, replace the phone.
Cellphones come with emissions ratings known as "SARs" (specific absorption rates). These range from 0.5 to 1.6 W/kg (watts of power absorbed per kilogram of body tissue). Avoid any cellphone that falls within range of that upper limit.
The FDA provides SAR ratings for most kinds of cellphones and other wireless devices online. You'll need to locate your cellphone's FCC ID number, which is usually located somewhere on the case of the phone or in the battery compartment.
Some people think Senator Kennedy's cellphone caused it.
He was diagnosed last year with a malignant "glioma," a kind of brain cancer specifically considered a risk for cellphone users.
Should you be worried?
The truth is, cellphones have not been around long enough to give us the kind of long-term studies we really need to know for sure.
And the research is conflicting. Some studies show no increased risk. So I'm not ready to tell my readers and patients that cellphones definitely cause cancer. The FDA says, "The available scientific evidence does not show that any health problems are associated with using wireless phones." But they then add, "There is no proof, however, that wireless phones are absolutely safe."
Some of the most up-to-date research suggests that there is some cause for concern. Here's what I know:
Researchers in Israel found last year that people who used cellphones heavily experienced a 58 percent increase in "parotid tumors" - a cancer of the saliva gland near the ear.
Another study last year, this one out of Sweden, concluded that cellphone users are 10 times more likely to develop benign cancers of the ear and brain.
Several animal studies have found that the kind of radiation cellphones use can damage DNA in brain cells. Damaged DNA is one of the things that can turn healthy cells into cancer cells.
Cellphones use microwaves called "radio frequency radiation" (RF) to transmit signals. Their antennae emit most of the RF, and since you're holding the phone right next to your ear most of the time, a lot of it penetrates the brain - as much as 60 percent, according to some studies.
Depending on the size of your head and the amount of radiation coming from the specific type of phone you use, you may be literally "cooking" your brain. RF energy can potentially cause the temperature of your brain tissue to rise slightly.
To protect yourself from any potential risk from cellphone RF, here are a few guidelines:
Keep cellphone calls short.
Go with a "hands-free" headset or a speakerphone. These keep the cellphone from direct contact with your head.
Don't carry your cellphone in your chest or hip pocket. Even when in "standby" mode, cellphones continue to emit radiation, exposing whichever part of your body is closest.
When using a hands-free headset, let the wire extend fully between your head and the phone. This distributes RF in small amounts along the length of your body rather than concentrating it in any one location.
Look for a phone with "voice-activated" features. These enable you to place calls and perform other commands without having to hold the phone close to your head.
Use a standard "land line" whenever possible.
Find out the level of RF emissions for your cellphone. If the level is high, replace the phone.
Cellphones come with emissions ratings known as "SARs" (specific absorption rates). These range from 0.5 to 1.6 W/kg (watts of power absorbed per kilogram of body tissue). Avoid any cellphone that falls within range of that upper limit.
The FDA provides SAR ratings for most kinds of cellphones and other wireless devices online. You'll need to locate your cellphone's FCC ID number, which is usually located somewhere on the case of the phone or in the battery compartment.
Monday, December 8, 2008
Proof of Funds Letters!
As a Platinum Member of HSA, you are entitled to
use our Investor’s Private Funds.
Cost to use the funds is 1% plus $300
The fee is paid out of closing!
Which means Nothing is paid uprfront and there are No CREDIT checks!
Now as you may already know, Banks won’t consider your offer on
Short Sales or REO’s without a “Proof of Funds” Letter.
This is the part that stops most investors dead in their tracks…until now.
Here’s a 2 minute video on how to obtain and print out as many of your Proof of Funds Letters as you need:
Click Here for 2 Minute Video!
If you are not a Platinum member yet, visit us at:
http://www.FUNDSFORSHORTSALES.COM
and find out how you can be flipping short sales and
REO homes using NO CREDIT AND NO CASH!
Make sure you sign up for the FREE 30 Day Trial!
It’s time to think big…really BIG!
Larry Potter
Home Seller Assist
847-872-4047
use our Investor’s Private Funds.
Cost to use the funds is 1% plus $300
The fee is paid out of closing!
Which means Nothing is paid uprfront and there are No CREDIT checks!
Now as you may already know, Banks won’t consider your offer on
Short Sales or REO’s without a “Proof of Funds” Letter.
This is the part that stops most investors dead in their tracks…until now.
Here’s a 2 minute video on how to obtain and print out as many of your Proof of Funds Letters as you need:
Click Here for 2 Minute Video!
If you are not a Platinum member yet, visit us at:
http://www.FUNDSFORSHORTSALES.COM
and find out how you can be flipping short sales and
REO homes using NO CREDIT AND NO CASH!
Make sure you sign up for the FREE 30 Day Trial!
It’s time to think big…really BIG!
Larry Potter
Home Seller Assist
847-872-4047
3 Reasons to Say No to Crestor
By Shane "The People's Chemist" Ellison, MS
A new study on heart health is touting statin drugs as the best thing since the iPod. But before you head off to your doctor asking for a prescription, let's take a closer look at the facts.
The JUPITER (Justification for the Use of Statins in Prevention: an Intervention Trial Evaluating Rosuvastatin) study is not a clinical trial. It's a ruse to promote drugs as vitamins. Dr. Timothy J. Gardner, president of the American Heart Association, was so excited by the study that he insisted, "this one is pretty clearly a winner for statin therapy."
The New York Times gave us the infomercial, scripted response of, "Taking the statin Crestor, also known as rosuvastatin, slashed the risk of heart attack by more than half according to the JUPITER results."
But most popular media missed the truth. Here are three important points that you need to know:
Crestor's maker - AstraZeneca - funded the study. When a company pays for a study, they pay for the interpretation of results, which always involves statistical trickery. Cardiovascular events were reduced by a paltry but absolute 0.9 percent with Crestor use. Using a few tricks of the statistics trade, this bland number was converted into the more lucrative "relative risk reduction" of 53 percent.
Dr. Mark Hlatky of Stanford told the New England Journal of Medicine that "absolute differences in risk are more clinically important than relative reductions in risk in deciding whether to recommend drug therapy, since the absolute benefits of treatment must be large enough to justify the associated risks and costs."
It would cost beaucoup bucks to follow JUPITER's recommended Crestor protocol. The drug giant stands to pocket an estimated $500,000 per patient (over a patient's lifetime), courtesy of insurance companies, if the drug is used as recommended by the study.
Crestor users risk the particularly nasty side effects of liver failure, rhabdomyolysis, diabetes, and more. This, in itself, is a great reason to say no to Crestor: It's a seriously expensive way to get sick.
I've said it before - you don't need drugs to be healthy. For a healthy cardiovascular system, take hawthorn and folic acid, both available at Walmart.
A new study on heart health is touting statin drugs as the best thing since the iPod. But before you head off to your doctor asking for a prescription, let's take a closer look at the facts.
The JUPITER (Justification for the Use of Statins in Prevention: an Intervention Trial Evaluating Rosuvastatin) study is not a clinical trial. It's a ruse to promote drugs as vitamins. Dr. Timothy J. Gardner, president of the American Heart Association, was so excited by the study that he insisted, "this one is pretty clearly a winner for statin therapy."
The New York Times gave us the infomercial, scripted response of, "Taking the statin Crestor, also known as rosuvastatin, slashed the risk of heart attack by more than half according to the JUPITER results."
But most popular media missed the truth. Here are three important points that you need to know:
Crestor's maker - AstraZeneca - funded the study. When a company pays for a study, they pay for the interpretation of results, which always involves statistical trickery. Cardiovascular events were reduced by a paltry but absolute 0.9 percent with Crestor use. Using a few tricks of the statistics trade, this bland number was converted into the more lucrative "relative risk reduction" of 53 percent.
Dr. Mark Hlatky of Stanford told the New England Journal of Medicine that "absolute differences in risk are more clinically important than relative reductions in risk in deciding whether to recommend drug therapy, since the absolute benefits of treatment must be large enough to justify the associated risks and costs."
It would cost beaucoup bucks to follow JUPITER's recommended Crestor protocol. The drug giant stands to pocket an estimated $500,000 per patient (over a patient's lifetime), courtesy of insurance companies, if the drug is used as recommended by the study.
Crestor users risk the particularly nasty side effects of liver failure, rhabdomyolysis, diabetes, and more. This, in itself, is a great reason to say no to Crestor: It's a seriously expensive way to get sick.
I've said it before - you don't need drugs to be healthy. For a healthy cardiovascular system, take hawthorn and folic acid, both available at Walmart.
Saturday, December 6, 2008
Why You Should Avoid the Elliptical Machine
By Craig Ballantyne
Elliptical machines are often the only option for people with bad knees. But if your knees are healthy, think twice before using them - for two reasons.
Reason #1. Men's Health magazine warns, "Never trust elliptical machines." And they quote a study which found that elliptical machines overestimated the number of calories burned in a workout by 31 percent.
Ouch.
So if your "elliptical cardio workout" burned 400 calories, the truth is you really burned closer to 300.
Reason #2. Men's Health magazine interviewed "Biggest Loser" contestant Ed Brantley, who lost 73 pounds while on the show. Ed had this to say: "I hated the elliptical. It was too easy. I didn't feel like I was doing anything."
I couldn't have said it better myself. But that's EXACTLY why elliptical machines are so popular. They are inferior for fat loss because they fail my "human nature" test.
Put it this way...
Take 100 people and put them in a gym with 100 treadmills and 100 elliptical machines. Tell them they have to exercise for 30 minutes at a hard pace, and they can use either the treadmill or the elliptical. Guess where 90 percent of those folks will be headed?
To the elliptical!
Why? Because it is human nature to take the easy way out. That is why elliptical machines are so busy at the gym. You rarely see anyone doing intervals on a treadmill or bodyweight circuits in the corner.
So if you are stuck at a fat-loss plateau and you've been counting on the elliptical machine to help you, forget it. You can't say you "worked out" if you don't get any real work done. Stick to the bike, the treadmill, or bodyweight exercises.
Elliptical machines are often the only option for people with bad knees. But if your knees are healthy, think twice before using them - for two reasons.
Reason #1. Men's Health magazine warns, "Never trust elliptical machines." And they quote a study which found that elliptical machines overestimated the number of calories burned in a workout by 31 percent.
Ouch.
So if your "elliptical cardio workout" burned 400 calories, the truth is you really burned closer to 300.
Reason #2. Men's Health magazine interviewed "Biggest Loser" contestant Ed Brantley, who lost 73 pounds while on the show. Ed had this to say: "I hated the elliptical. It was too easy. I didn't feel like I was doing anything."
I couldn't have said it better myself. But that's EXACTLY why elliptical machines are so popular. They are inferior for fat loss because they fail my "human nature" test.
Put it this way...
Take 100 people and put them in a gym with 100 treadmills and 100 elliptical machines. Tell them they have to exercise for 30 minutes at a hard pace, and they can use either the treadmill or the elliptical. Guess where 90 percent of those folks will be headed?
To the elliptical!
Why? Because it is human nature to take the easy way out. That is why elliptical machines are so busy at the gym. You rarely see anyone doing intervals on a treadmill or bodyweight circuits in the corner.
So if you are stuck at a fat-loss plateau and you've been counting on the elliptical machine to help you, forget it. You can't say you "worked out" if you don't get any real work done. Stick to the bike, the treadmill, or bodyweight exercises.
Friday, December 5, 2008
More Proof That Carbs Are Deadly for Your Weight
By Craig Ballantyne
When I was in college, I remember going to a party at the home of four girls. While standing around in the kitchen, I realized they had almost as much cereal as the local convenience store. When I asked them about it, they said they often ate cereal for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, because they thought a high-carbohydrate diet would help them lose weight.
That notion was popular back in the 1990s, and, unfortunately, they had bought into it. However, every year more and more research (not to mention experience) shows it to be untrue.
In the latest study, from the journal Nutrition and Metabolism, 50 overweight adults were put into one of two groups. One group was given a moderate-carbohydrate, moderate-protein diet, and the other group was given a high-carbohydrate diet. Both groups ate 500 calories less than they needed to maintain their weight.
The moderate-carbohydrate, moderate-protein group ate 1.6 grams of protein per kilogram of bodyweight (approximately 112 grams of protein for a 154-pound person) and less than 170 grams of carbohydrate per day. The high-carbohydrate group ate only 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of bodyweight (56 grams of protein for a 154-pound person) and less than 220 grams of carbohydrate per day.
At the end of four months, the higher-protein diet group had lost more body fat (an average of 8.7 percent) than the high-carbohydrate group (an average of 5.7 percent). The higher-protein group also had greater reductions in triglycerides (an average of 34 percent as compared to 14 percent) and greater improvements in the good HDL cholesterol (an average of 5 percent as compared to 3 percent).
This study shows that you don't need to make radical changes in your protein intake to get more fat loss and better blood lipid levels. Simply cut two slices of bread from your diet each day and substitute two 20-gram protein shakes.
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When I was in college, I remember going to a party at the home of four girls. While standing around in the kitchen, I realized they had almost as much cereal as the local convenience store. When I asked them about it, they said they often ate cereal for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, because they thought a high-carbohydrate diet would help them lose weight.
That notion was popular back in the 1990s, and, unfortunately, they had bought into it. However, every year more and more research (not to mention experience) shows it to be untrue.
In the latest study, from the journal Nutrition and Metabolism, 50 overweight adults were put into one of two groups. One group was given a moderate-carbohydrate, moderate-protein diet, and the other group was given a high-carbohydrate diet. Both groups ate 500 calories less than they needed to maintain their weight.
The moderate-carbohydrate, moderate-protein group ate 1.6 grams of protein per kilogram of bodyweight (approximately 112 grams of protein for a 154-pound person) and less than 170 grams of carbohydrate per day. The high-carbohydrate group ate only 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of bodyweight (56 grams of protein for a 154-pound person) and less than 220 grams of carbohydrate per day.
At the end of four months, the higher-protein diet group had lost more body fat (an average of 8.7 percent) than the high-carbohydrate group (an average of 5.7 percent). The higher-protein group also had greater reductions in triglycerides (an average of 34 percent as compared to 14 percent) and greater improvements in the good HDL cholesterol (an average of 5 percent as compared to 3 percent).
This study shows that you don't need to make radical changes in your protein intake to get more fat loss and better blood lipid levels. Simply cut two slices of bread from your diet each day and substitute two 20-gram protein shakes.
Get Rid of Non-Performing Assets Now
...We have billions to buy your non-performing assets...
Simply send a spreadsheet of your portfolio...
...Mortgage loans, car loans...
Credit card debt, installment loans....
...Our hedgefunds are looking to buy now...
Contact Larry Potter Now
847-872-4047
lpotter33@gmail.com
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Improve The Health of Your Bankl
We Buy Non-Performing Assets
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Thursday, November 27, 2008
Reduce Wrinkles
By Kelley Herring
Do you want people to do a double-take when you reveal your real age? Then do this: Eat cinnamon and cloves.
Recent research published in the Journal of Medicinal Food found that these spices - which are often used in holiday goodies - not only provide antioxidants but also significant protection against the formation of advanced glycation end-products (AGEs).
And "AGE" is certainly an apt acronym. You see, AGEs trigger the body's defense arsenal and lead to inflammation and tissue damage. This results in lines on your face, inflexible arteries, and a host of other metabolic consequences.
So, how do you get the most out of these age-defying spices?
The first rule is this: The fresher the flavor, the more benefits. The researchers found a direct correlation between the phenol content in the spices and their ability to block AGEs. And since phenols are destroyed by light, heat, and exposure to air, keep your spices in a cool dark place for maximum potency.
Plus when you bake with these spices, make sure you use a safe sweetener too (i.e., one that does not spike blood sugar and promote AGEs), like erythritol or stevia.
Do you want people to do a double-take when you reveal your real age? Then do this: Eat cinnamon and cloves.
Recent research published in the Journal of Medicinal Food found that these spices - which are often used in holiday goodies - not only provide antioxidants but also significant protection against the formation of advanced glycation end-products (AGEs).
And "AGE" is certainly an apt acronym. You see, AGEs trigger the body's defense arsenal and lead to inflammation and tissue damage. This results in lines on your face, inflexible arteries, and a host of other metabolic consequences.
So, how do you get the most out of these age-defying spices?
The first rule is this: The fresher the flavor, the more benefits. The researchers found a direct correlation between the phenol content in the spices and their ability to block AGEs. And since phenols are destroyed by light, heat, and exposure to air, keep your spices in a cool dark place for maximum potency.
Plus when you bake with these spices, make sure you use a safe sweetener too (i.e., one that does not spike blood sugar and promote AGEs), like erythritol or stevia.
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
2 Health Tips
1. Move More: Make it a daily challenge to find ways to move your body. Climb stairs if given a choice between that and escalators or elevators. Walk your dog; chase your kids; toss balls with friends, mow the lawn. Anything that moves your limbs is not only a fitness tool, it's a stress buster. Think 'move' in small increments of time. It doesn't have to be an hour in the gym or a 45-minute aerobic dance class or tai chi or kickboxing. But that's great when you're up to it. Meanwhile, move more.
2. Cut Fat: Avoid the obvious such as fried foods, burgers and other fatty meats (i.e. pork, bacon, ham, salami, ribs and sausage). Dairy products such as cheese, cottage cheese, milk and cream should be eaten in low fat versions. Nuts and sandwich meats, mayonnaise, margarine, butter and sauces should be eaten in limited amounts. Most are available in lower fat versions such as substitute butter, fat free cheeses and mayonnaise.
2. Cut Fat: Avoid the obvious such as fried foods, burgers and other fatty meats (i.e. pork, bacon, ham, salami, ribs and sausage). Dairy products such as cheese, cottage cheese, milk and cream should be eaten in low fat versions. Nuts and sandwich meats, mayonnaise, margarine, butter and sauces should be eaten in limited amounts. Most are available in lower fat versions such as substitute butter, fat free cheeses and mayonnaise.
Monday, November 17, 2008
Eating Breakfast Is Only Half the Story
By Jonny Bowden, PhD, CNS
For what seems like forever, nutritionists like me have been urging people not to skip breakfast - for a number of reasons. For one thing, studies have found that people who skip breakfast are far more likely to be overweight or obese than those who eat breakfast on a regular basis. Researchers have also found that there's a correlation between eating breakfast and better performance/concentration at school and work, more energy, and improved well-being.
But those of us who have been on the breakfast bandwagon seem to have left out one of the most important details: the breakfast menu. Because even if you eat breakfast, all bets are off if you choose the wrong foods.
In a new study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, researchers confirmed that breakfast eaters, in general, eat fewer calories during the day. But the study also showed that people who eat a really high-calorie breakfast are more likely to eat more calories during the day. Plus, their average intake of important nutrients (like calcium) falls.
When you think about it, this makes sense. Breakfasts that are very high in calories are almost certain to include junk like pastries, donuts, and other "foods" that have nothing to do with reaping the benefits of a solid, high-protein, low-calorie breakfast that's been shown to moderate cravings. In fact, a high-calorie junk-food breakfast is far more likely to lead to overeating during the day - exactly the opposite of what you want.
So don't skip breakfast. But do skip the donuts.
For what seems like forever, nutritionists like me have been urging people not to skip breakfast - for a number of reasons. For one thing, studies have found that people who skip breakfast are far more likely to be overweight or obese than those who eat breakfast on a regular basis. Researchers have also found that there's a correlation between eating breakfast and better performance/concentration at school and work, more energy, and improved well-being.
But those of us who have been on the breakfast bandwagon seem to have left out one of the most important details: the breakfast menu. Because even if you eat breakfast, all bets are off if you choose the wrong foods.
In a new study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, researchers confirmed that breakfast eaters, in general, eat fewer calories during the day. But the study also showed that people who eat a really high-calorie breakfast are more likely to eat more calories during the day. Plus, their average intake of important nutrients (like calcium) falls.
When you think about it, this makes sense. Breakfasts that are very high in calories are almost certain to include junk like pastries, donuts, and other "foods" that have nothing to do with reaping the benefits of a solid, high-protein, low-calorie breakfast that's been shown to moderate cravings. In fact, a high-calorie junk-food breakfast is far more likely to lead to overeating during the day - exactly the opposite of what you want.
So don't skip breakfast. But do skip the donuts.
Saturday, November 8, 2008
Fresh Is Best
By Kelley Herring
While some of us love the taste of broccoli, most of the time it's eaten for its health benefits. But new research suggests that if you cook it, almost all of the cancer-fighting nutrients are lost.
A recent study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry found that sulphoraphane - the primary cancer-fighting nutrient in broccoli - is significantly reduced during cooking. In fact, the bioavailability of sulforaphane was calculated to be 37 percent from the raw vegetable and only 3.4 percent from cooked broccoli.
So what option does that leave you with... raw broccoli crudites? On the contrary! There are plenty of delicious ways to enjoy raw broccoli. Make chopped salads with broccoli, buy broccosprouts and add them to your sandwiches, and fold tiny fresh florets into omelets to add delicious crunch and powerful protection.
While some of us love the taste of broccoli, most of the time it's eaten for its health benefits. But new research suggests that if you cook it, almost all of the cancer-fighting nutrients are lost.
A recent study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry found that sulphoraphane - the primary cancer-fighting nutrient in broccoli - is significantly reduced during cooking. In fact, the bioavailability of sulforaphane was calculated to be 37 percent from the raw vegetable and only 3.4 percent from cooked broccoli.
So what option does that leave you with... raw broccoli crudites? On the contrary! There are plenty of delicious ways to enjoy raw broccoli. Make chopped salads with broccoli, buy broccosprouts and add them to your sandwiches, and fold tiny fresh florets into omelets to add delicious crunch and powerful protection.
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Boon to Immunity
Apples (and red onions, broccoli, and tea) are great sources of quercetin -- a flavonoid that may stave off the influenza virus when the body is under stress.
In a recent animal study, quercetin did just that:
The normal dip in immunity that comes with physical fatigue was pretty much cancelled out by the flavonoid.
If it works as well in humans, quercetin could help power the body through both physical and psychological stress.
In a recent animal study, quercetin did just that:
The normal dip in immunity that comes with physical fatigue was pretty much cancelled out by the flavonoid.
If it works as well in humans, quercetin could help power the body through both physical and psychological stress.
Monday, October 27, 2008
Want healthier cells in just 8 hours?
Your body does important things while you sleep -- like healing your cells. But just one night of tossing and turning could trigger cell-damaging inflammation. So turn off the tube, slip on that sleep mask, and get your 40 winks.
Inflamed in the Membrane
In a recent study, sleep-deprived people -- especially women -- showed a marked increase in their levels of a protein called NF-kB. That’s bad news, because NF-kB plays an essential role in the body’s inflammation response. The study may help explain why poor sleep is associated with several inflammation-related disorders, including cardiovascular disease, arthritis, diabetes, cancer, and obesity.
Mini Mind-Body Makeovers
Need help adjusting to the end of daylight saving time? Or getting over jet lag? Or just sleeping through an average night? Doze your way to good health with these tips:
Refresh yourself on the basics. Find out when to sleep, what temperature is best, and which foods to eat.
You move, you snooze. You might associate stretching with waking up, but it can help you nod off, too. Stretch yourself to sleep.
Develop good sleep habits.
Inflamed in the Membrane
In a recent study, sleep-deprived people -- especially women -- showed a marked increase in their levels of a protein called NF-kB. That’s bad news, because NF-kB plays an essential role in the body’s inflammation response. The study may help explain why poor sleep is associated with several inflammation-related disorders, including cardiovascular disease, arthritis, diabetes, cancer, and obesity.
Mini Mind-Body Makeovers
Need help adjusting to the end of daylight saving time? Or getting over jet lag? Or just sleeping through an average night? Doze your way to good health with these tips:
Refresh yourself on the basics. Find out when to sleep, what temperature is best, and which foods to eat.
You move, you snooze. You might associate stretching with waking up, but it can help you nod off, too. Stretch yourself to sleep.
Develop good sleep habits.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
The Anti-Aging Effects of Exercise
Growth hormone is known as a "fountain of youth" in the anti-aging community because it helps build muscle and burn body fat. But research has shown that people who are overweight tend to have lower growth hormone levels.
Exercise is a proven way to boost those levels. However, most overweight individuals can't do the 30 minutes of continuous exercise that it takes. So researchers from the University of Virginia wanted to see what would happen if they split their subjects' workouts into shorter sessions.
The researchers had their subjects do either 30 minutes of continuous exercise or three 10-minute sessions, at the same intensity, spread out over the course of the day. Both groups achieved similar growth hormone levels, which led the researchers to conclude that the "split workout" would work just as well as continuous exercise.
These results aren't just good news for obese folks who can't handle 30 minutes of exercise at a time. They also offer relief to busy men and women who have a better chance of finding time for three short exercise sessions instead of one long one.
For maximum body-transformation results, I recommend one 10-minute session each of strength training, interval training, and bodyweight exercises. This will help you build muscle, burn fat, and improve your mobility.
I believe short sales will be going strong for the next six
months until this program can kick in. Picking them up for
50 cents on the dollar should be no problem.
Once the program kicks in (if it does), then I think we will
be looking at 60-70 cents on the dollar.
I had one guy approach me this evening wanting to use
our 1% funds (plus a $350 fee) on what he said was a
short sale. He could buy for $350k and sell for $360K!
To me that was not a short sale! I told him to keep looking.
Our typical deals working with this special funder go something
like this:
You line up a prequalified buyer to purchase from you and this
funder provides you with the Proof of Funds and the Cash to buy
the short sale from the Bank.
Cost of Funds is 1% plus $300 flat fee, all paid from your
profits at your end buyer's closing.
Example:
You buy a home worth $200,000 in a short sale for $100,000 and
resale for $150,000.
You keep $50,000 minus 1% (1,000+$300 flat fee).
Your profit is $48,700, not bad considering they don't even
look at your credit!
I think he got the message and is looking for a real deal.
Larry Potter
847-872-4047
http://www.FundsForShortSales.com
Exercise is a proven way to boost those levels. However, most overweight individuals can't do the 30 minutes of continuous exercise that it takes. So researchers from the University of Virginia wanted to see what would happen if they split their subjects' workouts into shorter sessions.
The researchers had their subjects do either 30 minutes of continuous exercise or three 10-minute sessions, at the same intensity, spread out over the course of the day. Both groups achieved similar growth hormone levels, which led the researchers to conclude that the "split workout" would work just as well as continuous exercise.
These results aren't just good news for obese folks who can't handle 30 minutes of exercise at a time. They also offer relief to busy men and women who have a better chance of finding time for three short exercise sessions instead of one long one.
For maximum body-transformation results, I recommend one 10-minute session each of strength training, interval training, and bodyweight exercises. This will help you build muscle, burn fat, and improve your mobility.
I believe short sales will be going strong for the next six
months until this program can kick in. Picking them up for
50 cents on the dollar should be no problem.
Once the program kicks in (if it does), then I think we will
be looking at 60-70 cents on the dollar.
I had one guy approach me this evening wanting to use
our 1% funds (plus a $350 fee) on what he said was a
short sale. He could buy for $350k and sell for $360K!
To me that was not a short sale! I told him to keep looking.
Our typical deals working with this special funder go something
like this:
You line up a prequalified buyer to purchase from you and this
funder provides you with the Proof of Funds and the Cash to buy
the short sale from the Bank.
Cost of Funds is 1% plus $300 flat fee, all paid from your
profits at your end buyer's closing.
Example:
You buy a home worth $200,000 in a short sale for $100,000 and
resale for $150,000.
You keep $50,000 minus 1% (1,000+$300 flat fee).
Your profit is $48,700, not bad considering they don't even
look at your credit!
I think he got the message and is looking for a real deal.
Larry Potter
847-872-4047
http://www.FundsForShortSales.com
Monday, October 20, 2008
H2O Weight Loss
File this one under "hard to believe." Still, researchers from California believe they have found a simple - free - way to lose weight.
The researchers looked at 173 overweight women (aged 25-50) who reported drinking less than one liter of water per day. These women were then instructed to increase their water consumption, and were studied for a year.
Remarkably, the researchers found that the increased water intake was associated with a significant increase in both weight loss and fat loss. The results suggest that if an overweight woman drinks less than one liter of water per day, the simple act of drinking more water may be beneficial.
The researchers think that drinking the water may promote weight loss by lowering total energy intake and/or altering metabolism. So while it is hard to believe that weight loss could be that simple, the results of this study support the many personal trainers and nutritionists who insist that their weight-loss clients immediately begin drinking more water.
If you drink next to no water, add three cups of water per day to what you're already drinking this way: Drink one cup immediately upon waking, another cup as soon as you get to work, and a third cup in the afternoon, just before you leave work. That's easy, isn't it? And it might just give your fat loss a boost.
$400 - $600 Per Click...
...Every day...
I'm serious...
...Over $21000 made since June 24rd...
But who's counting...
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The researchers looked at 173 overweight women (aged 25-50) who reported drinking less than one liter of water per day. These women were then instructed to increase their water consumption, and were studied for a year.
Remarkably, the researchers found that the increased water intake was associated with a significant increase in both weight loss and fat loss. The results suggest that if an overweight woman drinks less than one liter of water per day, the simple act of drinking more water may be beneficial.
The researchers think that drinking the water may promote weight loss by lowering total energy intake and/or altering metabolism. So while it is hard to believe that weight loss could be that simple, the results of this study support the many personal trainers and nutritionists who insist that their weight-loss clients immediately begin drinking more water.
If you drink next to no water, add three cups of water per day to what you're already drinking this way: Drink one cup immediately upon waking, another cup as soon as you get to work, and a third cup in the afternoon, just before you leave work. That's easy, isn't it? And it might just give your fat loss a boost.
$400 - $600 Per Click...
...Every day...
I'm serious...
...Over $21000 made since June 24rd...
But who's counting...
...Believe it....
Find out how...
...Watch the short video now...
http://www.fastbuyerloans.com
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Does Joe The Plumber Have This?
J...Just send people to our site....
Make $400-$600 on each person
...Our program is catching on like wildfire...
$32,000 made since mid-June...
...Learn how you can take part...
Short webcast explains all...
...Visit Us Now....
at http://www.fastbuyerloans.com
Make $400-$600 on each person
...Our program is catching on like wildfire...
$32,000 made since mid-June...
...Learn how you can take part...
Short webcast explains all...
...Visit Us Now....
at http://www.fastbuyerloans.com
IS STRESS MAKING YOU FAT?
It’s not uncommon to overeat when you’re under a mountain of stress. And with all the talk of dwindling markets and possible recession, stress is probably eating at you right now.
Though your natural instinct might be to reach for that bag of white cheddar popcorn or box of donut holes, comfort foods might be sapping you of energy and self-esteem, and causing you more anxiety in the long run.
Studies show stress packs a triple whammy on the gut: It makes you eat more, it makes you eat more of the wrong stuff, and the stress hormone cortisol causes you to store belly fat, putting you at greater risk of heart attacks, strokes, and high cholesterol.
Beat stress with exercise: 30 minutes of exercise a day is proven to boost cognitive performance and increase serotonin levels, lifting your mood. So go for a trail run outside and catch some fall color, or work out indoors with the Belly Off! Fully Loaded exercises. Vary your routine and get more for your bang: Switch up your grip on machines that have multiple handles, or try placing your feet farther apart on the leg press to challenge your muscles from a variety of angles.
Eat mood-lifting foods like omega-3-rich salmon, and drink a cup of energy-boosting green tea, which also contains the herbal extract Theanine, a proven stress-reliever. Fill up on seasonal favorites such as peanuts, pumpkins, and apples—they’re not only good for you, but they’re also relatively cheap.
http://www.myspace.com/homebusinessnow
And that’s good for the bottom line.
Though your natural instinct might be to reach for that bag of white cheddar popcorn or box of donut holes, comfort foods might be sapping you of energy and self-esteem, and causing you more anxiety in the long run.
Studies show stress packs a triple whammy on the gut: It makes you eat more, it makes you eat more of the wrong stuff, and the stress hormone cortisol causes you to store belly fat, putting you at greater risk of heart attacks, strokes, and high cholesterol.
Beat stress with exercise: 30 minutes of exercise a day is proven to boost cognitive performance and increase serotonin levels, lifting your mood. So go for a trail run outside and catch some fall color, or work out indoors with the Belly Off! Fully Loaded exercises. Vary your routine and get more for your bang: Switch up your grip on machines that have multiple handles, or try placing your feet farther apart on the leg press to challenge your muscles from a variety of angles.
Eat mood-lifting foods like omega-3-rich salmon, and drink a cup of energy-boosting green tea, which also contains the herbal extract Theanine, a proven stress-reliever. Fill up on seasonal favorites such as peanuts, pumpkins, and apples—they’re not only good for you, but they’re also relatively cheap.
http://www.myspace.com/homebusinessnow
And that’s good for the bottom line.
Saturday, October 4, 2008
Worse for Your Health?
Table sugar, honey, and high fructose corn syrup (HFCS). Which sweetener is worse for your health? The Corn Refiners Association would like you to believe they're all the same.
After a recent release by the American Medical Association stating that HFCS is "unlikely to contribute more to obesity than other caloric sweeteners," the Corn Refiners Association launched a marketing campaign estimated to cost as much as $30 million to "set the record straight."
So, what is the truth?
While HFCS has the same glycemic index as table sugar (85-92), numerous studies show that it behaves differently in the body - short-wiring our metabolism, encouraging fat storage, and causing lipid dysfunction.
In fact, between 1970 (when HFCS was introduced) and 2000 (when the average annual consumption of HFCS reached 73.5 pounds per person!), the prevalence of obesity more than doubled. The incidence of metabolic syndrome and Type II diabetes has also increased.
Your best bet? Choose none of the above. Steer clear of any added sugars in foods and drinks. And satisfy your sweet tooth safely with healthier options like all-natural, calorie-free stevia and erythritol.
Larry @ http://www.fastbuyerloans.com
Have a good weekend...
After a recent release by the American Medical Association stating that HFCS is "unlikely to contribute more to obesity than other caloric sweeteners," the Corn Refiners Association launched a marketing campaign estimated to cost as much as $30 million to "set the record straight."
So, what is the truth?
While HFCS has the same glycemic index as table sugar (85-92), numerous studies show that it behaves differently in the body - short-wiring our metabolism, encouraging fat storage, and causing lipid dysfunction.
In fact, between 1970 (when HFCS was introduced) and 2000 (when the average annual consumption of HFCS reached 73.5 pounds per person!), the prevalence of obesity more than doubled. The incidence of metabolic syndrome and Type II diabetes has also increased.
Your best bet? Choose none of the above. Steer clear of any added sugars in foods and drinks. And satisfy your sweet tooth safely with healthier options like all-natural, calorie-free stevia and erythritol.
Larry @ http://www.fastbuyerloans.com
Have a good weekend...
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Restaurant Dinner Diet Secrets
RWhen you eat dinner at a restaurant, it's easy to eat more than 1,500 or 2,000 calories at one sitting. Yikes! That's a full day's worth of calories.
Pre-dinner bread & butter: 200 calories
Pre-dinner cocktail: 150 calories
Appetizer: potentially a 500-1,500 calorie bomb
Steak: 300-500 calories
Potato: 150-300 calories
Vegetable: 100 calories
Beverage: 150 calories
Dessert: 300-750 calories
After-dinner drink: 150 calories
And that's only if you control yourself. If you go on a feeding frenzy, you could be looking at 2,500 or even 3,000 calories. Those numbers are scary.
Fortunately, there are ways to avoid this dietary nightmare while dining out. Here are five guidelines for cutting 1,000 calories from your restaurant meals...
1. Plan ahead and avoid restaurants that serve huge portions. (Cheesecake Factory and Outback Steakhouse, for example.)
2. Skip the bread. Eating it won't stop you from eating your full meal too, so just send it back.
3. Don't order booze or liquid calories of any type.
4. Avoid potatoes. Stick to your protein and your vegetables.
5. Reward yourself with only the tiniest bit of dessert, if any.
It's all about taking responsibility for your choices.
Pre-dinner bread & butter: 200 calories
Pre-dinner cocktail: 150 calories
Appetizer: potentially a 500-1,500 calorie bomb
Steak: 300-500 calories
Potato: 150-300 calories
Vegetable: 100 calories
Beverage: 150 calories
Dessert: 300-750 calories
After-dinner drink: 150 calories
And that's only if you control yourself. If you go on a feeding frenzy, you could be looking at 2,500 or even 3,000 calories. Those numbers are scary.
Fortunately, there are ways to avoid this dietary nightmare while dining out. Here are five guidelines for cutting 1,000 calories from your restaurant meals...
1. Plan ahead and avoid restaurants that serve huge portions. (Cheesecake Factory and Outback Steakhouse, for example.)
2. Skip the bread. Eating it won't stop you from eating your full meal too, so just send it back.
3. Don't order booze or liquid calories of any type.
4. Avoid potatoes. Stick to your protein and your vegetables.
5. Reward yourself with only the tiniest bit of dessert, if any.
It's all about taking responsibility for your choices.
Monday, September 22, 2008
Eat a High-Protein Breakfast. Why?
By Jonny Bowden, PhD, CNS
If you're looking to lose weight, you should start by pumping up your breakfast. New research presented at the 2008 annual meeting of the Endocrine Society found that a high-protein breakfast is one key to weight loss. In this eight-month study, obese individuals who ate a 600-calorie breakfast containing about 40 grams of protein (and a small lunch and dinner) lost an average of 40 pounds.
This is huge when you compare it to the results of most diets - and it comes on the heels of a related study published in the British Journal of Nutrition.
These researchers added extra protein to the diets of overweight and obese men, and recorded what happened when they consumed it at breakfast, lunch, dinner, or throughout the day. Following the extra-protein meal, the subjects reported feeling fuller for the rest of the day, especially when the extra protein - such as eggs and lean Canadian bacon - was eaten at breakfast.
Home Seller Assist at http://www.fastbuyerloans.com
This is very much in keeping with other research indicating that protein for breakfast (indeed, eating breakfast period) is a great weight-loss strategy.
Simply adding a side of scrambled eggs to your pancakes and changing nothing else accomplishes nothing. But as part of an overall calorie-reduced diet and exercise program, the extra protein - especially at breakfast - may help you lose weight.
If you're looking to lose weight, you should start by pumping up your breakfast. New research presented at the 2008 annual meeting of the Endocrine Society found that a high-protein breakfast is one key to weight loss. In this eight-month study, obese individuals who ate a 600-calorie breakfast containing about 40 grams of protein (and a small lunch and dinner) lost an average of 40 pounds.
This is huge when you compare it to the results of most diets - and it comes on the heels of a related study published in the British Journal of Nutrition.
These researchers added extra protein to the diets of overweight and obese men, and recorded what happened when they consumed it at breakfast, lunch, dinner, or throughout the day. Following the extra-protein meal, the subjects reported feeling fuller for the rest of the day, especially when the extra protein - such as eggs and lean Canadian bacon - was eaten at breakfast.
Home Seller Assist at http://www.fastbuyerloans.com
This is very much in keeping with other research indicating that protein for breakfast (indeed, eating breakfast period) is a great weight-loss strategy.
Simply adding a side of scrambled eggs to your pancakes and changing nothing else accomplishes nothing. But as part of an overall calorie-reduced diet and exercise program, the extra protein - especially at breakfast - may help you lose weight.
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Bad for Your Heart?
By James B. LaValle
If you're worried about the effects of fat and dietary cholesterol on your heart, stop. Trans-fats are the only ones conclusively proven to be detrimental. In the meantime, there's something just as serious to watch out for. Fructose.
The average American is getting more fructose than ever before. A study in the July 9 Medscape Journal of Medicine found that, on average, our intake of fructose increased from about 35 grams (a little over 1 ounce) per day in the late 1970s to about 55 grams (almost 2 ounces) per day now. That may not sound like much, but 2 ounces of fructose per day is almost 46 pounds a year!
That's serious news, because fructose has a rap sheet about a mile long:
1. It increases the risk of high LDL cholesterol - which increases the risk of heart attack threefold.
2. It increases triglycerides in the blood, a strong predictor of heart disease.
3. It increases uric acid in the blood, which causes gout and increases blood pressure.
4. It stimulates appetite by affecting leptin (a hunger-suppressing hormone) and ghrelin (a hunger-stimulating hormone.)
5. It decreases adiponectin, a hormone that improves insulin sensitivity in cells.
Where are we getting all that fructose? Well, it occurs naturally in fruits and other foods, like table sugar and honey. But the popular processed sweetener high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is the main culprit.
So check the labels. And avoid foods with HFCS. These include soft drinks, fruit juice drinks, fruit rolls/fruit chew-type snacks, sweetened teas, fruit smoothies, and ketchup. And limit your intake of anything with high amounts of natural fructose - like fruit juices - as well.
If you're worried about the effects of fat and dietary cholesterol on your heart, stop. Trans-fats are the only ones conclusively proven to be detrimental. In the meantime, there's something just as serious to watch out for. Fructose.
The average American is getting more fructose than ever before. A study in the July 9 Medscape Journal of Medicine found that, on average, our intake of fructose increased from about 35 grams (a little over 1 ounce) per day in the late 1970s to about 55 grams (almost 2 ounces) per day now. That may not sound like much, but 2 ounces of fructose per day is almost 46 pounds a year!
That's serious news, because fructose has a rap sheet about a mile long:
1. It increases the risk of high LDL cholesterol - which increases the risk of heart attack threefold.
2. It increases triglycerides in the blood, a strong predictor of heart disease.
3. It increases uric acid in the blood, which causes gout and increases blood pressure.
4. It stimulates appetite by affecting leptin (a hunger-suppressing hormone) and ghrelin (a hunger-stimulating hormone.)
5. It decreases adiponectin, a hormone that improves insulin sensitivity in cells.
Where are we getting all that fructose? Well, it occurs naturally in fruits and other foods, like table sugar and honey. But the popular processed sweetener high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is the main culprit.
So check the labels. And avoid foods with HFCS. These include soft drinks, fruit juice drinks, fruit rolls/fruit chew-type snacks, sweetened teas, fruit smoothies, and ketchup. And limit your intake of anything with high amounts of natural fructose - like fruit juices - as well.
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Fight Immune-Based Cancers With Blackberries
Blueberries have been lauded for their antioxidant ability and cancer-fighting effects. But another berry may offer protection against some of the deadliest forms of cancer.
Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh evaluated the effect of a compound extracted from blackberries called cyanidin-3-rutinoside (C-3-R) on cultured human leukemia cells. The C-3-R was tested on several cell lines of human leukemia, and the test was repeated using cell cultures of lymphoma, another immune-based cancer. The scientists found that when applied at low doses, C-3-R killed half the cancer cells within 18 hours of treatment. When applied at higher doses, the blackberry extract killed all cancer cells present within 18 hours.
According to cancer expert and researcher Gary Stoner, 1.5 to 2 cups of fresh berries may be the ideal dose for staving off certain types of cancer. So whether you choose marionberries (the "Cabernet of blackberries"), traditional evergreen blackberries, or big and bold boysenberries, you'll get a burst of summer-fresh flavor... and a bushel of cancer protection to boot.
Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh evaluated the effect of a compound extracted from blackberries called cyanidin-3-rutinoside (C-3-R) on cultured human leukemia cells. The C-3-R was tested on several cell lines of human leukemia, and the test was repeated using cell cultures of lymphoma, another immune-based cancer. The scientists found that when applied at low doses, C-3-R killed half the cancer cells within 18 hours of treatment. When applied at higher doses, the blackberry extract killed all cancer cells present within 18 hours.
According to cancer expert and researcher Gary Stoner, 1.5 to 2 cups of fresh berries may be the ideal dose for staving off certain types of cancer. So whether you choose marionberries (the "Cabernet of blackberries"), traditional evergreen blackberries, or big and bold boysenberries, you'll get a burst of summer-fresh flavor... and a bushel of cancer protection to boot.
Saturday, August 9, 2008
Cocoa: Packed With Cancer Fighters
By Kelley Herring
Are you a chocolate lover? Good news! Cornell food scientists recently found that cocoa is teeming with antioxidants that help prevent cancer.
In fact, according to their recent research published in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry, cocoa has nearly twice the antioxidants of red wine and up to three times the amount found in green tea.
But there is a caveat. You'll do more harm than good if you start chowing down on sugar-laden chocolate. You're best bet to benefit from the bean is to use organic, unsweetened, non-alkalized cocoa.
Stir it into coffee, whirl it into berry smoothies, or try delicious chocolate desserts made with the all-natural "Super Sweetener of the Future": erythritol.
Are you a chocolate lover? Good news! Cornell food scientists recently found that cocoa is teeming with antioxidants that help prevent cancer.
In fact, according to their recent research published in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry, cocoa has nearly twice the antioxidants of red wine and up to three times the amount found in green tea.
But there is a caveat. You'll do more harm than good if you start chowing down on sugar-laden chocolate. You're best bet to benefit from the bean is to use organic, unsweetened, non-alkalized cocoa.
Stir it into coffee, whirl it into berry smoothies, or try delicious chocolate desserts made with the all-natural "Super Sweetener of the Future": erythritol.
Friday, August 1, 2008
The Best Way to Strengthen Your Body
Lack of strength is the number one reason for falls in the elderly, so strengthening your body is essential as you get older. Now research proves that you can gain strength and muscle at any age.
Danish scientists studied 36 patients between the ages of 60 and 86 after they'd had a single hip-replacement surgery. The subjects did three resistance-training workouts per week for 12 weeks, and increased their muscle strength by over 29 percent at both fast and slow speeds of movement. Plus, they increased the size of their slow- and fast-muscle fibers by 17 percent and 37 percent respectively.
In addition, the subjects were able to boost their stair-walking power by 35 percent. The researchers found that this was related to the increase in their fast-muscle fibers. They also found that traditional rehabilitation methods had no functional or strength benefits.
In order to work your fast-muscle fibers, you need to do challenging strength-training workouts. Using light weights that you can lift for 20 to 30 reps will not boost your fast-twitch muscle fiber strength or your power.
So, no matter what your age, make plans to meet with a personal trainer who knows how to get you stronger by using basic exercises like step-ups, squats, rows, and push-ups. Avoid any trainer who wants you to train with light weights for "toning," as that will have no long-term effect on your health or performance.
Danish scientists studied 36 patients between the ages of 60 and 86 after they'd had a single hip-replacement surgery. The subjects did three resistance-training workouts per week for 12 weeks, and increased their muscle strength by over 29 percent at both fast and slow speeds of movement. Plus, they increased the size of their slow- and fast-muscle fibers by 17 percent and 37 percent respectively.
In addition, the subjects were able to boost their stair-walking power by 35 percent. The researchers found that this was related to the increase in their fast-muscle fibers. They also found that traditional rehabilitation methods had no functional or strength benefits.
In order to work your fast-muscle fibers, you need to do challenging strength-training workouts. Using light weights that you can lift for 20 to 30 reps will not boost your fast-twitch muscle fiber strength or your power.
So, no matter what your age, make plans to meet with a personal trainer who knows how to get you stronger by using basic exercises like step-ups, squats, rows, and push-ups. Avoid any trainer who wants you to train with light weights for "toning," as that will have no long-term effect on your health or performance.
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Baby Steps to Better Health
By Craig Ballantyne
I get hundreds of e-mails every day, but only a few of them upset me. And those are the ones from guys who are under 30 and feel that they'll never be in good shape again. It is frustrating that so many men, and women, think they are over the hill in their late 20s. Can you believe that?
I've worked with men and women in their 50s and 60s who are kicking butt and training hard every week. So to have a 26-year-old guy e-mail me and ask if he can ever lose his love handles is disappointing.
Bad attitude!
Now, to their credit, these guys are often new fathers, working 50 to 60 hours in the corporate world, and having to commute through heavy traffic for another hour or two each day.
Combine poor food choices with decreased physical activity, and you can feel pretty old, pretty quick.
But you can also turn things around just as fast, simply by starting today and trying to be a little bit healthier every day.
Just take baby steps.
If you had only two fruits yesterday, try to have three today.
If you didn't have any broccoli last week, try to get one serving three times this week.
If you cheated on your diet five days last week, cut the cheating down to three days this week.
A little bit better, every day, all the time. And before you know it, you'll feel better than you did last year, five years ago... and, hey, maybe someday even better than you did 10 or 20 years before.
You have a lot of life to live, so start living it with as much energy, strength, fitness, and enthusiasm as possible.
I get hundreds of e-mails every day, but only a few of them upset me. And those are the ones from guys who are under 30 and feel that they'll never be in good shape again. It is frustrating that so many men, and women, think they are over the hill in their late 20s. Can you believe that?
I've worked with men and women in their 50s and 60s who are kicking butt and training hard every week. So to have a 26-year-old guy e-mail me and ask if he can ever lose his love handles is disappointing.
Bad attitude!
Now, to their credit, these guys are often new fathers, working 50 to 60 hours in the corporate world, and having to commute through heavy traffic for another hour or two each day.
Combine poor food choices with decreased physical activity, and you can feel pretty old, pretty quick.
But you can also turn things around just as fast, simply by starting today and trying to be a little bit healthier every day.
Just take baby steps.
If you had only two fruits yesterday, try to have three today.
If you didn't have any broccoli last week, try to get one serving three times this week.
If you cheated on your diet five days last week, cut the cheating down to three days this week.
A little bit better, every day, all the time. And before you know it, you'll feel better than you did last year, five years ago... and, hey, maybe someday even better than you did 10 or 20 years before.
You have a lot of life to live, so start living it with as much energy, strength, fitness, and enthusiasm as possible.
Monday, July 14, 2008
Clean, Lean, and Green
When deciding how meat will fit on your family's plate, consider these four factors:
1. Type. Fresh meat from your grocer's organic section is quite different from meat that's been commercially prepared, processed, and preserved. The meat in frozen or canned "entrees" and the slimy cold cuts stacked onto a sandwich at your local sub shop is what I'm referring to here. Avoid those mystery meats and opt for fresh, organic, "clean" meat that's free of harmful additives.
2. Amount. When I prepare meat, it is treated as a flavor-rich accompaniment, not a main dish. The meat perfectly complements the stand-out seasonal veggies and low-glycemic carbs featured on our plate du jour. I serve about three ounces of meat (about the size of a deck of cards) per person - and no one ever complains about the "small portion."
3. Preparation. Treat your meat right! Muscle meats form dangerous carcinogens called heterocyclic amines (HCAs) when cooked at high temperatures (grilling or broiling). Instead, opt for slow roasting or simmering. Marinating beforehand is another good way to prevent the formation of cancer-causing HCAs.
4. Farming Methods. It's absolutely essential to choose "green" meats free of antibiotics, hormones, and pesticides. These compounds are powerful endocrine disruptors in our food supply - and even "cutting back" does not safeguard against their effects. It's also important to choose grass-fed beef, which is leaner and provides more beneficial omega-3s and more vitamin A than its grain-fattened counterparts.
By following these guidelines, you will be eating less meat and getting more of what you want - clean, lean, and green protein.
1. Type. Fresh meat from your grocer's organic section is quite different from meat that's been commercially prepared, processed, and preserved. The meat in frozen or canned "entrees" and the slimy cold cuts stacked onto a sandwich at your local sub shop is what I'm referring to here. Avoid those mystery meats and opt for fresh, organic, "clean" meat that's free of harmful additives.
2. Amount. When I prepare meat, it is treated as a flavor-rich accompaniment, not a main dish. The meat perfectly complements the stand-out seasonal veggies and low-glycemic carbs featured on our plate du jour. I serve about three ounces of meat (about the size of a deck of cards) per person - and no one ever complains about the "small portion."
3. Preparation. Treat your meat right! Muscle meats form dangerous carcinogens called heterocyclic amines (HCAs) when cooked at high temperatures (grilling or broiling). Instead, opt for slow roasting or simmering. Marinating beforehand is another good way to prevent the formation of cancer-causing HCAs.
4. Farming Methods. It's absolutely essential to choose "green" meats free of antibiotics, hormones, and pesticides. These compounds are powerful endocrine disruptors in our food supply - and even "cutting back" does not safeguard against their effects. It's also important to choose grass-fed beef, which is leaner and provides more beneficial omega-3s and more vitamin A than its grain-fattened counterparts.
By following these guidelines, you will be eating less meat and getting more of what you want - clean, lean, and green protein.
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Does Your Diet Fit in Your Genes?
The day of genetic testing and nutritional prescriptions based on your, well, weak genes, has come.
According to Mark McClellan, Commissioner of the U.S. Food & Drug Administration, "Nutrigenomics envisions a future in which personalized genetic profiling takes the guesswork out of deciding what you should eat. By adjusting nutrient composition in a person's diet according to genetic profiles, gene-based nutrition planning could one day play a significant role in preventing chronic disease."
If you want to find out if your diet fits in your genes, there are several services available, including one from 23andMe.com and a Solgar product called NutrigenomX. Expect to pay around $1,000.
According to Mark McClellan, Commissioner of the U.S. Food & Drug Administration, "Nutrigenomics envisions a future in which personalized genetic profiling takes the guesswork out of deciding what you should eat. By adjusting nutrient composition in a person's diet according to genetic profiles, gene-based nutrition planning could one day play a significant role in preventing chronic disease."
If you want to find out if your diet fits in your genes, there are several services available, including one from 23andMe.com and a Solgar product called NutrigenomX. Expect to pay around $1,000.
Monday, June 30, 2008
Purple Plant
Your blood sugar will be sure to salute you this Independence Day if you grill up some of this: eggplant.
Purple-skinned eggplant is full of phenols that help your body better use blood sugar. And that’s great, because you don’t need extra blood sugar running around. Too much in the bloodstream could wreak havoc with your organs. But that’s not all eggplant’s
got . . .
More Phenol Superpowers
In addition to favorable effects on blood sugar, eggplant’s supercharged phenols may also inhibit an enzyme tied to high blood pressure. Plus, the phenols have antioxidant actions.
Go purple power!
Purple-skinned eggplant is full of phenols that help your body better use blood sugar. And that’s great, because you don’t need extra blood sugar running around. Too much in the bloodstream could wreak havoc with your organs. But that’s not all eggplant’s
got . . .
More Phenol Superpowers
In addition to favorable effects on blood sugar, eggplant’s supercharged phenols may also inhibit an enzyme tied to high blood pressure. Plus, the phenols have antioxidant actions.
Go purple power!
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Metabolism-Boosting Move
If you want to burn a lot of calories, you need to do a lot of resistance-training exercises for the back of your body, not just the front. Your entire upper back is one of your biggest muscle groups. By exercising this important area, you can burn more calories than if you just train your chest and stomach muscles.
A lot of folks have trouble training their upper backs at home because they don't have a chin-up bar. But you can effectively train your back with a simple dumbbell exercise called the Dumbbell Row.
For the exercise, you need a dumbbell (between 7 and 50 pounds - depending on your level of fitness and strength) and an exercise bench. (A sturdy couch will do in a pinch.)
First, kneel on the bench with only your left knee. (Your right foot should be on the ground.) Bending at the waist, place your left hand on the front of the bench. Your right leg should be slightly bent, your foot flat. Hold the dumbbell in your right hand. Your right arm should be hanging from your shoulder. Your back should be flat and your abs braced.
Pull the dumbbell up and back, so your elbow is bent at a right angle and your upper arm is parallel with your back. Keep your elbow close to your side.
After each set, switch sides.
Do 3 sets of 8-12 repetitions per arm 2-3 times per week to boost your metabolism and burn belly fat.
A lot of folks have trouble training their upper backs at home because they don't have a chin-up bar. But you can effectively train your back with a simple dumbbell exercise called the Dumbbell Row.
For the exercise, you need a dumbbell (between 7 and 50 pounds - depending on your level of fitness and strength) and an exercise bench. (A sturdy couch will do in a pinch.)
First, kneel on the bench with only your left knee. (Your right foot should be on the ground.) Bending at the waist, place your left hand on the front of the bench. Your right leg should be slightly bent, your foot flat. Hold the dumbbell in your right hand. Your right arm should be hanging from your shoulder. Your back should be flat and your abs braced.
Pull the dumbbell up and back, so your elbow is bent at a right angle and your upper arm is parallel with your back. Keep your elbow close to your side.
After each set, switch sides.
Do 3 sets of 8-12 repetitions per arm 2-3 times per week to boost your metabolism and burn belly fat.
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Tomatoes?
You may be certain that your plate is full of healthy food... but the truth might surprise you. Your tomatoes, corn, soybeans, Hawaiian papaya, zucchini, crooked neck squash, and even ice cream could have genes from cloned fish, bacteria, or viruses. That's because you're not always dealing with the "real thing." Your grocer's shelves are likely stacked with genetically modified (GM) foods.
GM foods are increasingly prevalent, but the FDA does not require food labels to specify when ingredients are genetically modified. So it's not surprising that most people aren't even aware they're eating them.
According to the Pew Initiative on Food and Biotechnology, 54 percent of people polled hadn't even heard of genetically modified foods. And though, according to a CBS/NY Times poll, 53 percent said they would not purchase these foods, many common ingredients (including soy lecithin, corn syrup, and cottonseed or canola oil) originate from GM crops. In the United States, three-quarters of the corn used to produce cereals, tortilla chips, and other such products is Roundup Ready corn, which has been genetically altered to resist the weed killer Roundup, according to U.S. News and World Report.
So why avoid GM foods? For one thing, they may be more allergenic. The United Kingdom tracks food allergies, and the year after GM soy was introduced into their food supply, soy allergies jumped 50 percent.
High pesticide content is yet another reason to avoid GM foods. The Center for Food Safety noted that from 1994 to 2005, pesticide use on GM corn, soybeans, and cotton increased by a multiple of 15 due to the increased pesticide resistance of Roundup Ready crops.
Last, but certainly not least, cultivation of GM crops may disrupt our ecosystem. According to the 2004 scientific consensus report of the Food and Agriculture Organization, increased pesticide use may result in herbicide-resistant weeds and pesticide-resistant insects. This affects non-pest insects like butterflies as well as animals like frogs and birds.
Whenever possible, avoid GM foods. Do so by purchasing USDA certified organically grown foods which, by definition, cannot be bio-engineered or genetically modified. You can also look for "non-GMO" on the label.
GM foods are increasingly prevalent, but the FDA does not require food labels to specify when ingredients are genetically modified. So it's not surprising that most people aren't even aware they're eating them.
According to the Pew Initiative on Food and Biotechnology, 54 percent of people polled hadn't even heard of genetically modified foods. And though, according to a CBS/NY Times poll, 53 percent said they would not purchase these foods, many common ingredients (including soy lecithin, corn syrup, and cottonseed or canola oil) originate from GM crops. In the United States, three-quarters of the corn used to produce cereals, tortilla chips, and other such products is Roundup Ready corn, which has been genetically altered to resist the weed killer Roundup, according to U.S. News and World Report.
So why avoid GM foods? For one thing, they may be more allergenic. The United Kingdom tracks food allergies, and the year after GM soy was introduced into their food supply, soy allergies jumped 50 percent.
High pesticide content is yet another reason to avoid GM foods. The Center for Food Safety noted that from 1994 to 2005, pesticide use on GM corn, soybeans, and cotton increased by a multiple of 15 due to the increased pesticide resistance of Roundup Ready crops.
Last, but certainly not least, cultivation of GM crops may disrupt our ecosystem. According to the 2004 scientific consensus report of the Food and Agriculture Organization, increased pesticide use may result in herbicide-resistant weeds and pesticide-resistant insects. This affects non-pest insects like butterflies as well as animals like frogs and birds.
Whenever possible, avoid GM foods. Do so by purchasing USDA certified organically grown foods which, by definition, cannot be bio-engineered or genetically modified. You can also look for "non-GMO" on the label.
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
"Clean" Proteins When on a Low-Carb Diet
A healthy low-carb diet can and should include plenty of low-glycemic plant foods (non-starchy vegetables, beans and legumes, nuts and seeds). That being said, following a low-carb diet still means eating large amounts of protein and the fats that come with them. So you need to make sure you get your protein from high-quality sources.
High-quality proteins are:
1. Non-Toxic. Toxins from the environment can accumulate in the fat and tissues of animals and fish. Mercury in fish, for example. Or chemicals from pesticide-treated grain fed to animals.
To avoid consuming too much mercury, eat smaller fish - tilapia, cod, and sardines vs. shark and swordfish. Since toxins tend to accumulate in the fat, eat the leanest cuts of meat possible. And choose organic meats, which ensure the animals were fed only non-pesticide-treated feed.
2. Raised on a Healthy Diet. The meats you eat should be from animals raised on their natural food source. Free-range chickens, for example, are usually fed some grains. But they are also allowed to roam around and peck in the ground for insects and worms, which is what they do when allowed to feed naturally. And the natural diet for cattle includes plenty of grazing in grass.
The more an animal can feed on its natural foods, the richer the nutrient content will be in the meat. Grass-fed beef is not only much leaner than grain-fed beef, it also contains a significant amount of omega 3 fats.
TAP HERE
3. Free of Hormones. Selecting organically raised beef or dairy products ensures the animal was raised without growth hormones. Protein from growth-hormone-treated animals may increase your risk of breast cancer, may be linked to early puberty in children, and may be linked to lowered sperm counts in men.
High-quality proteins are:
1. Non-Toxic. Toxins from the environment can accumulate in the fat and tissues of animals and fish. Mercury in fish, for example. Or chemicals from pesticide-treated grain fed to animals.
To avoid consuming too much mercury, eat smaller fish - tilapia, cod, and sardines vs. shark and swordfish. Since toxins tend to accumulate in the fat, eat the leanest cuts of meat possible. And choose organic meats, which ensure the animals were fed only non-pesticide-treated feed.
2. Raised on a Healthy Diet. The meats you eat should be from animals raised on their natural food source. Free-range chickens, for example, are usually fed some grains. But they are also allowed to roam around and peck in the ground for insects and worms, which is what they do when allowed to feed naturally. And the natural diet for cattle includes plenty of grazing in grass.
The more an animal can feed on its natural foods, the richer the nutrient content will be in the meat. Grass-fed beef is not only much leaner than grain-fed beef, it also contains a significant amount of omega 3 fats.
TAP HERE
3. Free of Hormones. Selecting organically raised beef or dairy products ensures the animal was raised without growth hormones. Protein from growth-hormone-treated animals may increase your risk of breast cancer, may be linked to early puberty in children, and may be linked to lowered sperm counts in men.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Your Metabolism With Coconut
Wouldn't it be nice to crank up the dial on your metabolism a notch?
Well, you can! Certain foods ratchet your metabolism into high gear, helping to burn more calories and give you more energy.
The best known of these thermogenic (fat-burning) foods is protein. That's the reason high-protein diets promote weight loss. But there's another food that has even more calorie-torching power than protein: coconut oil.
Medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs), the unique fats found in coconut, are easily absorbed and rapidly burned as energy, stoking your metabolism. What's more, coconut fats blaze through slower-burning long-chain triglyerides.
In a recent study, the thermogenic effect of a high-calorie diet containing 40 percent fat as MCFA was compared to one containing 40 percent fat as long-chain fatty acids (LCFAs). Researchers found the thermogenic effect of the MCFA was almost twice as high as the LCFA: 120 calories versus 66 calories. The researchers were so astounded, they conducted a follow-up study. This time, they found that MCFA given over a six-day period can increase diet-induced thermogenesis by 50 percent!
You can use coconut oil just like you would any other oil. Try whisking with raspberry vinegar for a luscious summer dressing, or lightly pan-frying wild fish and organic veggies for a metabolism-boosting treat.
Well, you can! Certain foods ratchet your metabolism into high gear, helping to burn more calories and give you more energy.
The best known of these thermogenic (fat-burning) foods is protein. That's the reason high-protein diets promote weight loss. But there's another food that has even more calorie-torching power than protein: coconut oil.
Medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs), the unique fats found in coconut, are easily absorbed and rapidly burned as energy, stoking your metabolism. What's more, coconut fats blaze through slower-burning long-chain triglyerides.
In a recent study, the thermogenic effect of a high-calorie diet containing 40 percent fat as MCFA was compared to one containing 40 percent fat as long-chain fatty acids (LCFAs). Researchers found the thermogenic effect of the MCFA was almost twice as high as the LCFA: 120 calories versus 66 calories. The researchers were so astounded, they conducted a follow-up study. This time, they found that MCFA given over a six-day period can increase diet-induced thermogenesis by 50 percent!
You can use coconut oil just like you would any other oil. Try whisking with raspberry vinegar for a luscious summer dressing, or lightly pan-frying wild fish and organic veggies for a metabolism-boosting treat.
Monday, June 16, 2008
White Meat vs. Fish and Beef
There about the health benefits of pork. It's a decent source of protein... but doesn't have much else going for it. One reason we recommend wild-caught fish and grass-fed beef in ETR is that they contain healthful omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3s provide a myriad of health benefits ranging from balancing blood sugar and protecting against heart health to protecting against cancer and even Alzheimer's disease.
So go ahead and enjoy organic, nitrite-free pork that's been naturally raised. But if you're trying to get the most out of your protein, stick to fatty fish - like wild salmon, sardines, and Pacific halibut - and grass-fed beef.
So go ahead and enjoy organic, nitrite-free pork that's been naturally raised. But if you're trying to get the most out of your protein, stick to fatty fish - like wild salmon, sardines, and Pacific halibut - and grass-fed beef.
Saturday, June 14, 2008
Health Habit for the Entire Family
Contrary to what sunscreen manufacturers wish you to believe, sunshine is not a death ray. It is a healing ray. Here are four main benefits of sun exposure:
1. It boosts neuropeptides that elevate mood and regulate appetite.
2. It reduces the risk of the deadly skin cancer melanoma and 16 other types of cancer.
3. It reduces the risk of osteoporosis and increases bone density as a result of enhanced "mineralization."
4. It increases sex drive. Not that I want my kids' libido to be rockin', but this is good info for the dad who needs to get his bedroom energy back.
1. It boosts neuropeptides that elevate mood and regulate appetite.
2. It reduces the risk of the deadly skin cancer melanoma and 16 other types of cancer.
3. It reduces the risk of osteoporosis and increases bone density as a result of enhanced "mineralization."
4. It increases sex drive. Not that I want my kids' libido to be rockin', but this is good info for the dad who needs to get his bedroom energy back.
Friday, June 13, 2008
Your Body's Response to Exercise
It's frustrating to watch obese people suffer in the gym and receive absolutely no benefit for their efforts. Eventually, they give up. But it doesn't have to be like that. In fact, if they learn how to use one miracle substance properly, they could go to the gym less and have a lot more to show for it - including mega fat loss and lean, sexy muscle.
That miracle substance is sunshine! Proper sun exposure plays a crucial role in ensuring that your body responds to exercise. It helps by increasing insulin sensitivity. The primary mechanism involved is the production of a neuropeptide known as MSH (melanocyte stimulating hormone) and vitamin D. Combined, these "youthanizing" biochemicals help lower levels of the fat-storing hormone insulin. And sunshine is the only thing that can force our bodies to produce them in the right quantity and ratio.
Insulin inhibits the release of the fat-burning compounds known as catecholamines. Lower insulin levels during exercise also guarantee a boost in the age-defying hormones HGH, testosterone, and IGF-1. Which means that, without sunshine, you could be wasting valuable time in the gym. Working out with high insulin levels would be like trying to fight cancer while being exposed to Agent Orange.
Proper sun exposure simply means that you expose 80 percent of your body to direct sunlight for 20 to 40 minutes every other day. Make this happen and you'll enjoy rewarding workouts met with fat loss and muscle gain.
That miracle substance is sunshine! Proper sun exposure plays a crucial role in ensuring that your body responds to exercise. It helps by increasing insulin sensitivity. The primary mechanism involved is the production of a neuropeptide known as MSH (melanocyte stimulating hormone) and vitamin D. Combined, these "youthanizing" biochemicals help lower levels of the fat-storing hormone insulin. And sunshine is the only thing that can force our bodies to produce them in the right quantity and ratio.
Insulin inhibits the release of the fat-burning compounds known as catecholamines. Lower insulin levels during exercise also guarantee a boost in the age-defying hormones HGH, testosterone, and IGF-1. Which means that, without sunshine, you could be wasting valuable time in the gym. Working out with high insulin levels would be like trying to fight cancer while being exposed to Agent Orange.
Proper sun exposure simply means that you expose 80 percent of your body to direct sunlight for 20 to 40 minutes every other day. Make this happen and you'll enjoy rewarding workouts met with fat loss and muscle gain.
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Diet That Cardiologists Are Being Urged to Recommend
What would you do if you were a researcher and you realized that a diet that had been accepted for years is all wrong? Would you write letters and more letters, urging your colleagues to be aware that research is showing the need for a change? That is exactly what some of the country's top researchers have been doing, including Dr. Walter Willett (who chairs Harvard's Department of Nutrition) and Dr. Frank B. Hu.
Research has clearly shown that the low-fat and low-cholesterol diet that many doctors have been recommending since the late 1980s has done almost nothing to prevent heart disease. Meanwhile, scientists have discovered that a diet with high levels of carbohydrates, specifically those with a high glycemic index and load, is hard on the heart.
Studies as far back as the 1940s show that low-carb diets are effective for fat loss. And epidemiological studies from the 1970s showed a correlation between high carbohydrate intake and the risk of coronary heart disease. But those results were ignored, because everyone thought fat was the lone culprit.
Low-carb diets have now been validated in study after study - not only for weight management, but to control insulin and glucose elevations. This means they are also very effective for controlling Type II diabetes and hypertension. And that is why researchers and some members of the medical community are urgently calling for a change. But will anyone hear them?
A diet that is higher in good fats (not harmful trans-fats) and protein but lower in high glycemic index and high glycemic load foods is the diet that is best for lowering what is now being called cardio-metabolic risk. This new term implies what I and other ETR experts have been teaching for years. The best way to control your weight and reduce your risk of diabetes and coronary disease is to control your glycemic response.
If you haven't yet gotten serious about a low-carb approach to health, it is time for a change.
Research has clearly shown that the low-fat and low-cholesterol diet that many doctors have been recommending since the late 1980s has done almost nothing to prevent heart disease. Meanwhile, scientists have discovered that a diet with high levels of carbohydrates, specifically those with a high glycemic index and load, is hard on the heart.
Studies as far back as the 1940s show that low-carb diets are effective for fat loss. And epidemiological studies from the 1970s showed a correlation between high carbohydrate intake and the risk of coronary heart disease. But those results were ignored, because everyone thought fat was the lone culprit.
Low-carb diets have now been validated in study after study - not only for weight management, but to control insulin and glucose elevations. This means they are also very effective for controlling Type II diabetes and hypertension. And that is why researchers and some members of the medical community are urgently calling for a change. But will anyone hear them?
A diet that is higher in good fats (not harmful trans-fats) and protein but lower in high glycemic index and high glycemic load foods is the diet that is best for lowering what is now being called cardio-metabolic risk. This new term implies what I and other ETR experts have been teaching for years. The best way to control your weight and reduce your risk of diabetes and coronary disease is to control your glycemic response.
If you haven't yet gotten serious about a low-carb approach to health, it is time for a change.
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Fat Loss
Who are the ones berating themselves every Monday for not exercising or eating properly over the weekend? The people who did not do their best to exercise and eat right on Saturday and Sunday.
Most people fail to control themselves. They trade minutes of pleasure (i.e., fast food) for days, weeks, months, and years of regret.
Focus on quality workouts, not quantity. Focus on planning ahead to overcome obstacles, rather than trying to "out-cardio" a bad diet.
Always hit a personal best in each workout. This guarantees progress in both fat-burning and muscle-building.
Fat loss is easy once you understand how hard it is... and it's hard if you think it is easy.
To make fat loss easy, you must:
1. Plan and prepare your meals in advance.
2. Follow a professionally designed, structured workout routine that is more intense than anything you'd put together for yourself.
3. Get social support from others who have gone through the same trials and tribulations that you face.
Do those three things... and you will succeed.
Most people fail to control themselves. They trade minutes of pleasure (i.e., fast food) for days, weeks, months, and years of regret.
Focus on quality workouts, not quantity. Focus on planning ahead to overcome obstacles, rather than trying to "out-cardio" a bad diet.
Always hit a personal best in each workout. This guarantees progress in both fat-burning and muscle-building.
Fat loss is easy once you understand how hard it is... and it's hard if you think it is easy.
To make fat loss easy, you must:
1. Plan and prepare your meals in advance.
2. Follow a professionally designed, structured workout routine that is more intense than anything you'd put together for yourself.
3. Get social support from others who have gone through the same trials and tribulations that you face.
Do those three things... and you will succeed.
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Boost Fat Loss
You bust your butt in the gym - and it's working. You lose weight, drop a few inches, and are feeling good. Then, suddenly, you stop seeing results. The plateau phase of any fat-loss program may be normal, but it can be frustrating. Fortunately, a little change in your diet can get you back on track: Simply stop eating foods from a bag or a box and start eating more fruits and vegetables.
Now I don't expect you to wake up tomorrow and completely change your eating habits. That wouldn't be realistic. It's best to make little changes every day. Start, today, with one new item from the produce aisle to help control your appetite, regulate your blood sugar, and burn body fat.
If you want to lose fat, live longer and healthier, and have more mental and physical energy to get through the day, you need to put premium fuel in your body's engine. Not grease. Not sugar. Not quick fixes. You have to plan ahead. But don't worry, it doesn't take much time.
Combine more fruits and veggies with short, convenient strength- and interval-training workouts and you'll feel (and look) like a million bucks.
Now I don't expect you to wake up tomorrow and completely change your eating habits. That wouldn't be realistic. It's best to make little changes every day. Start, today, with one new item from the produce aisle to help control your appetite, regulate your blood sugar, and burn body fat.
If you want to lose fat, live longer and healthier, and have more mental and physical energy to get through the day, you need to put premium fuel in your body's engine. Not grease. Not sugar. Not quick fixes. You have to plan ahead. But don't worry, it doesn't take much time.
Combine more fruits and veggies with short, convenient strength- and interval-training workouts and you'll feel (and look) like a million bucks.
Monday, June 9, 2008
When Injured
It happens. You strain your shoulder, sprain your wrist, or even break an arm. Most people think that working out with an injury like that will be a waste of time. But that's plain wrong. In fact, by exercising your strong arm, you can actually maintain - or possibly even improve - the strength in your injured arm.
European researchers put 10 women on a two-month strength-training program for one arm only. At the end of the two months, though the women had done no additional activity with the other arm, they had increased strength in both arms.
Scientists call this the "cross-over" effect. When your brain sends instructions to one arm, the "untrained" arm receives the same instructions. The end result is that you build strength in the untrained arm because of the connection between your brain and your muscles.
So if you injure your arm or shoulder, there's no reason to stop exercising the good arm (provided your doctor clears you for exercise). Just make sure you avoid exercises that would further damage the injured side. You can, for example, continue to press and curl dumbbells with your good arm to keep both arms strong.
European researchers put 10 women on a two-month strength-training program for one arm only. At the end of the two months, though the women had done no additional activity with the other arm, they had increased strength in both arms.
Scientists call this the "cross-over" effect. When your brain sends instructions to one arm, the "untrained" arm receives the same instructions. The end result is that you build strength in the untrained arm because of the connection between your brain and your muscles.
So if you injure your arm or shoulder, there's no reason to stop exercising the good arm (provided your doctor clears you for exercise). Just make sure you avoid exercises that would further damage the injured side. You can, for example, continue to press and curl dumbbells with your good arm to keep both arms strong.
Saturday, June 7, 2008
Fiber in a Shake?
There's no doubt about it - fiber is one of a few super-foods you should consume daily. In my article about my daily eating routine, I mentioned a super-high-fiber shake that I drink every day. In fact, I've calculated that my shake can provide me with as much as 95 grams of fiber.
Well, I didn't find it ready-made in a store. I make it myself. There are hundreds of recipes for fruit/vegetable shakes and smoothies. Some are savory and spicy, others sweet. The general recipe I use as part of my daily routine is a blend of vegetable juices, as well as a banana, some ginger, a little yogurt, and ice. The total amount of fiber in the shake depends on the amount of fiber in each of my ingredients. I don't stick with the exact same recipe every day, so the amount of fiber can range from 7 or 8 grams all the way up to 90 or more.
Try mixing your favorite fiber-rich ingredients - apples, berries, figs, carrots, spinach, green beans, etc. - to make your own healthy high-fiber drink.
Well, I didn't find it ready-made in a store. I make it myself. There are hundreds of recipes for fruit/vegetable shakes and smoothies. Some are savory and spicy, others sweet. The general recipe I use as part of my daily routine is a blend of vegetable juices, as well as a banana, some ginger, a little yogurt, and ice. The total amount of fiber in the shake depends on the amount of fiber in each of my ingredients. I don't stick with the exact same recipe every day, so the amount of fiber can range from 7 or 8 grams all the way up to 90 or more.
Try mixing your favorite fiber-rich ingredients - apples, berries, figs, carrots, spinach, green beans, etc. - to make your own healthy high-fiber drink.
Friday, June 6, 2008
Drop Blood Pressure
You've likely heard that the Mediterranean diet is good for your heart and your brain. Now new research indicates that the olive oil in the diet should get part of the credit due to its ability to lower blood pressure.
A study published in the Journal of Nutrition found that 25 ml (4 teaspoons) of olive oil daily reduced blood pressure in men who were previously not eating a Mediterranean diet. In fact, among the 110 men in the study, blood pressure dropped an average of 3 percent over the nine-week study period.
Researchers believe a compound called oleic acid - a monounsaturated fat that makes up 55-85 percent of olive oil - is responsible for the benefit.
So go ahead and splurge on some good, organic extra virgin olive oil. You'll get the most health benefits when you use it cold - drizzled over salads, roasted veggies, and the like - instead of cooking with it.
A study published in the Journal of Nutrition found that 25 ml (4 teaspoons) of olive oil daily reduced blood pressure in men who were previously not eating a Mediterranean diet. In fact, among the 110 men in the study, blood pressure dropped an average of 3 percent over the nine-week study period.
Researchers believe a compound called oleic acid - a monounsaturated fat that makes up 55-85 percent of olive oil - is responsible for the benefit.
So go ahead and splurge on some good, organic extra virgin olive oil. You'll get the most health benefits when you use it cold - drizzled over salads, roasted veggies, and the like - instead of cooking with it.
Thursday, June 5, 2008
Cheap Thrills
Airport security wasn't always as tight as it is today - and that extended to the airlines' VIP lounges. When I was a senior in high school, a small group of us discovered Delta's Crown Room at O'Hare Airport. And every now and then, we would smile our way in to enjoy a free night out. Comfy chairs. Snacks and drinks. A big-screen (for the time) TV. And excellent people-watching opportunities.
It felt a little like being a guest at a rich uncle's private club.
There are plenty of well-publicized ways to have a good time without spending any money. Strolling through street fairs. Browsing in bookstores and libraries. Listening to free concerts. But it's the stuff you stumble across almost by accident that gives the most pleasure. The 99-cent breakfast special I took advantage of all summer long at a Florida beachfront cafe. (Okay. So it was served on a paper plate with a plastic fork. Who cares?) Hanging over the fence to watch polo ponies being exercised. Free preview performances by a semi-professional neighborhood drama club.
The fact that things like this cost nothing - or almost nothing - only adds to the enjoyment. But the real thrill is that most people don't know about them, making you feel like a member of an elite "in" crowd.
I'll bet you've had some "cheap thrills" of your own. Things you've found by word of mouth... or by checking out bulletin boards at local coffee shops... or just by being in the right place at the right time. And maybe you'd like to share one of your inside secrets with your fellow ETR readers - give them an idea to help them save money while doing something that most people would never even think of
It felt a little like being a guest at a rich uncle's private club.
There are plenty of well-publicized ways to have a good time without spending any money. Strolling through street fairs. Browsing in bookstores and libraries. Listening to free concerts. But it's the stuff you stumble across almost by accident that gives the most pleasure. The 99-cent breakfast special I took advantage of all summer long at a Florida beachfront cafe. (Okay. So it was served on a paper plate with a plastic fork. Who cares?) Hanging over the fence to watch polo ponies being exercised. Free preview performances by a semi-professional neighborhood drama club.
The fact that things like this cost nothing - or almost nothing - only adds to the enjoyment. But the real thrill is that most people don't know about them, making you feel like a member of an elite "in" crowd.
I'll bet you've had some "cheap thrills" of your own. Things you've found by word of mouth... or by checking out bulletin boards at local coffee shops... or just by being in the right place at the right time. And maybe you'd like to share one of your inside secrets with your fellow ETR readers - give them an idea to help them save money while doing something that most people would never even think of
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Protect Your DNA
When it comes to eating fruits and veggies, straying from the "same old, same old" may help you age less, according to new research.
A study published in the Journal of Nutrition found that a diet with eight to 10 servings of fruits and vegetables representing 18 plant families was more effective in preventing DNA damage than one with the same number of servings from only eight plant families.
Beat tastebud boredom and slow the hands of time by stocking your freezer with a wide variety of organic, flash-frozen fruits and veggies. And vary your cuisine by making creative substitutions. Try hearts of palm in place of artichoke hearts, arugula instead of spinach, green mangoes instead of tomatoes. You'll pack more DNA-protecting power (and pleasure) into mealtime.
A study published in the Journal of Nutrition found that a diet with eight to 10 servings of fruits and vegetables representing 18 plant families was more effective in preventing DNA damage than one with the same number of servings from only eight plant families.
Beat tastebud boredom and slow the hands of time by stocking your freezer with a wide variety of organic, flash-frozen fruits and veggies. And vary your cuisine by making creative substitutions. Try hearts of palm in place of artichoke hearts, arugula instead of spinach, green mangoes instead of tomatoes. You'll pack more DNA-protecting power (and pleasure) into mealtime.
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
TV Makes Us Fat
One of clients grew up watching a lot of TV. In fact, he feels that he was practically raised by Cliff Huxtable (of the Cosby Show) and Meredith Baxter-Birney (from Family Ties). That's how much TV he watched.
He finished college and started a real job. But he still rounded out his day with a nightly television marathon. So we shouldn't be surprised that he "beefed up" to over 200 pounds. (He's 5'10".) Especially when we look at the results of a recent Australian study.
The researchers examined the connections between watching TV, eating, and exercising in young adults (aged 26-36). They found that the young woman who watched more than three hours per day of TV had a higher prevalence of severe abdominal obesity when compared to the women who watched less than one hour of TV. For the men, only moderate abdominal obesity was associated with watching more than three hours of TV per day. Not severe - but still worse than the men who watched less than an hour per day.
The researchers also found that taking into account the daily physical activity levels of these men and women did not entirely explain the differences. What seemed to be more relevant was that the men and women who watched more TV also tended to consume more food and drinks.
Once client eliminated sodas and foods from a bag or a box, he immediately started to lose weight. And fast. Plus, by adding three short strength-training and interval-training workouts per week, he got down well below his college weight, and is now as fit as he was more than 10 years ago.
The message for you? The same things we've been saying in ETR for years. Shut off the TV. Dump the soda. Eat fresh veggies and grass-fed meats instead of carbs. And get moving.
He finished college and started a real job. But he still rounded out his day with a nightly television marathon. So we shouldn't be surprised that he "beefed up" to over 200 pounds. (He's 5'10".) Especially when we look at the results of a recent Australian study.
The researchers examined the connections between watching TV, eating, and exercising in young adults (aged 26-36). They found that the young woman who watched more than three hours per day of TV had a higher prevalence of severe abdominal obesity when compared to the women who watched less than one hour of TV. For the men, only moderate abdominal obesity was associated with watching more than three hours of TV per day. Not severe - but still worse than the men who watched less than an hour per day.
The researchers also found that taking into account the daily physical activity levels of these men and women did not entirely explain the differences. What seemed to be more relevant was that the men and women who watched more TV also tended to consume more food and drinks.
Once client eliminated sodas and foods from a bag or a box, he immediately started to lose weight. And fast. Plus, by adding three short strength-training and interval-training workouts per week, he got down well below his college weight, and is now as fit as he was more than 10 years ago.
The message for you? The same things we've been saying in ETR for years. Shut off the TV. Dump the soda. Eat fresh veggies and grass-fed meats instead of carbs. And get moving.
Saturday, May 31, 2008
Best Workout Schedule
By Craig Ballantyne
What's the best time to work out? And how should you organize your training? Weights first, then cardio? Or vice versa? Read almost any fitness blog or magazine, and you'll find a different opinion.
Instead of worrying about the right time and order, you need to find the best exercise program for you - one that you can easily fit into your busy schedule.
I designed my workout system, for instance, to be done in 45 minutes, three times per week. It allows you to do both resistance training and fat-burning interval training in the same session. (And most people can even do this in the comfort of their own homes.)
Here's how you use this system to build a better body:
Start with a total-body warm-up using bodyweight exercises. Do the following bodyweight circuit twice without resting: bodyweight squat, push-ups or kneeling push-ups, plank. (Do two sets of each exercise for 10 repetitions.)
Follow the warm-up with resistance-training supersets (pairs of exercises done back to back without resting). In your first superset, do an exercise for your lower body and an upper-body pushing exercise (such as lunges and push-ups). Do this superset three times. Rest a minute between supersets, and do 8-15 repetitions per exercise.
In your second superset, do a lower-body exercise and an upper-body pulling exercise (such as step-ups and dumbbell rows). Again, do the superset three times. Rest a minute between supersets, and do 8-15 repetitions per exercise.
After resistance training, rest one or two minutes and then do a short interval-training session.
Finish with stretching.
A simple yet powerfully effective workout like this will take less than 45 minutes. And you only have to do it three times per week to sculpt your body and burn belly fat.
What's the best time to work out? And how should you organize your training? Weights first, then cardio? Or vice versa? Read almost any fitness blog or magazine, and you'll find a different opinion.
Instead of worrying about the right time and order, you need to find the best exercise program for you - one that you can easily fit into your busy schedule.
I designed my workout system, for instance, to be done in 45 minutes, three times per week. It allows you to do both resistance training and fat-burning interval training in the same session. (And most people can even do this in the comfort of their own homes.)
Here's how you use this system to build a better body:
Start with a total-body warm-up using bodyweight exercises. Do the following bodyweight circuit twice without resting: bodyweight squat, push-ups or kneeling push-ups, plank. (Do two sets of each exercise for 10 repetitions.)
Follow the warm-up with resistance-training supersets (pairs of exercises done back to back without resting). In your first superset, do an exercise for your lower body and an upper-body pushing exercise (such as lunges and push-ups). Do this superset three times. Rest a minute between supersets, and do 8-15 repetitions per exercise.
In your second superset, do a lower-body exercise and an upper-body pulling exercise (such as step-ups and dumbbell rows). Again, do the superset three times. Rest a minute between supersets, and do 8-15 repetitions per exercise.
After resistance training, rest one or two minutes and then do a short interval-training session.
Finish with stretching.
A simple yet powerfully effective workout like this will take less than 45 minutes. And you only have to do it three times per week to sculpt your body and burn belly fat.
Thursday, May 29, 2008
A Calorie Is NOT a Calorie
By Kelley Herring
While losing weight isn't the easiest task for some, the equation is pretty simple: To drop pounds, you need to burn more calories than you consume.
Now what if I told you that certain foods come with their own built-in fat-burning mechanism? Well, it's true. These foods are thermogenic - meaning they produce heat and burn calories. Diet-induced thermogenesis (DIT) is the latest promising trend in weight loss.
A recent study published in Metabolism evaluated the effects of a fat-rich meal and a protein-rich meal on lean and obese women. The meals contained the same number of calories and had the same volume.
The researchers found that diet-induced thermogenesis was significantly higher in all the women, by almost threefold, after the consumption of the protein-rich meal in comparison with the fat-rich meal.
Get more fat-burning power in your diet by eating lean protein at every meal. And be sure to choose protein-rich snacks like organic mozzarella cheese sticks, almonds, and boiled eggs to rev up your metabolism and stave off hunger.
While losing weight isn't the easiest task for some, the equation is pretty simple: To drop pounds, you need to burn more calories than you consume.
Now what if I told you that certain foods come with their own built-in fat-burning mechanism? Well, it's true. These foods are thermogenic - meaning they produce heat and burn calories. Diet-induced thermogenesis (DIT) is the latest promising trend in weight loss.
A recent study published in Metabolism evaluated the effects of a fat-rich meal and a protein-rich meal on lean and obese women. The meals contained the same number of calories and had the same volume.
The researchers found that diet-induced thermogenesis was significantly higher in all the women, by almost threefold, after the consumption of the protein-rich meal in comparison with the fat-rich meal.
Get more fat-burning power in your diet by eating lean protein at every meal. And be sure to choose protein-rich snacks like organic mozzarella cheese sticks, almonds, and boiled eggs to rev up your metabolism and stave off hunger.
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Need another reason to go organic?
How about getting more disease-fighting nutrients per calorie?
The Organic Center recently evaluated the nutritional quality of organic foods versus those grown conventionally. In their review of 97 studies, the researchers found that organic, plant-based foods contain higher levels of 11 nutrients. That includes significantly greater concentrations of health-promoting polyphenols and antioxidants.
What's more, organically grown plant-based foods turned out to be 25 percent more nutrient dense. Which means you get more nutrition per serving or calories consumed.
So eat less and get more by choosing organic produce. Your body and our earth will thank you.
(Source: organic-center.org)
The Organic Center recently evaluated the nutritional quality of organic foods versus those grown conventionally. In their review of 97 studies, the researchers found that organic, plant-based foods contain higher levels of 11 nutrients. That includes significantly greater concentrations of health-promoting polyphenols and antioxidants.
What's more, organically grown plant-based foods turned out to be 25 percent more nutrient dense. Which means you get more nutrition per serving or calories consumed.
So eat less and get more by choosing organic produce. Your body and our earth will thank you.
(Source: organic-center.org)
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Water Bottle With You When You Leave Your Car
You know that water bottle you carry with you everywhere? Or the bottles you use to feed your baby? If they're plastic, they could be making you or your baby very sick. Fortunately, there's one easy step you can take to protect yourself and your loved ones from the "toxic" effects of plastic.
The bottles you use may contain bisphenol A (BPA), an "endocrine disrupter" used to add strength to clear plastics. BPA can mimic, mask, or interfere with the effects of the body's natural hormones. It's been linked to prostate and breast cancer, and to neurological disorders in children.
The growing body of evidence was sufficient for the U.S. government to issue a warning: "the possibility that bisphenol A may alter human development cannot be dismissed." The Canadian government went further, listing BPA as a toxic substance, and banning the use of polycarbonate baby bottles. Children are exceptionally vulnerable to BPA because they are still growing and developing, but adults are also at risk.
But there's one simple thing you can do right now to safeguard your family's health. Researchers at the University of Cincinnati found high temperatures from exposure to boiling water produced a 40-fold increase in the rate of BPA release, regardless of the bottle's age.
So don't heat that plastic. Microwave your beverages and food in glass or ceramic dishes. Never heat plastic baby bottles, and wash your plastic containers by hand to avoid the high temperatures in your dishwasher.
And take that water bottle with you when you leave your car in the hot sun.
The bottles you use may contain bisphenol A (BPA), an "endocrine disrupter" used to add strength to clear plastics. BPA can mimic, mask, or interfere with the effects of the body's natural hormones. It's been linked to prostate and breast cancer, and to neurological disorders in children.
The growing body of evidence was sufficient for the U.S. government to issue a warning: "the possibility that bisphenol A may alter human development cannot be dismissed." The Canadian government went further, listing BPA as a toxic substance, and banning the use of polycarbonate baby bottles. Children are exceptionally vulnerable to BPA because they are still growing and developing, but adults are also at risk.
But there's one simple thing you can do right now to safeguard your family's health. Researchers at the University of Cincinnati found high temperatures from exposure to boiling water produced a 40-fold increase in the rate of BPA release, regardless of the bottle's age.
So don't heat that plastic. Microwave your beverages and food in glass or ceramic dishes. Never heat plastic baby bottles, and wash your plastic containers by hand to avoid the high temperatures in your dishwasher.
And take that water bottle with you when you leave your car in the hot sun.
Monday, May 26, 2008
Out of the Folder and Into My Brain
Each night before I leave the office, I make up my task list for the following day. To make that list, I review any tasks from the previous day that did not get completed, as well as my weekly task list for tasks not yet assigned. I also take out the following day's documents from the daily folder (the one with 31 pockets), and look at each item to reacquaint myself with the project it refers to.
Sometimes a quick review is all I need to bring myself up to speed. Sometimes I have to schedule some time the next day to study it. (Thirty minutes to an hour is usually more than enough.) Then, when it comes time for the meeting, I am equipped not only with the original notes in hand but with some fresh ideas stimulated by my preparation.
I use this system to keep track of just about everything. Projects I delegate to other people, projects I take on myself, and even correspondence I intend to answer later on. When I come across (or have sent to me) articles of interest, I often put them in the daily folder and bring them out to read one at a time.
It's a very simple system, but it has been a big help to me. And it allows me to see, very plainly, when I can't take on any new projects - because the monthly folder is overstuffed!
I am sure there are plenty of computerized programs that approximate what I do with these two folders, but those I've tried so far have proved to be cumbersome and time consuming. I prefer to do it manually.
Sometimes a quick review is all I need to bring myself up to speed. Sometimes I have to schedule some time the next day to study it. (Thirty minutes to an hour is usually more than enough.) Then, when it comes time for the meeting, I am equipped not only with the original notes in hand but with some fresh ideas stimulated by my preparation.
I use this system to keep track of just about everything. Projects I delegate to other people, projects I take on myself, and even correspondence I intend to answer later on. When I come across (or have sent to me) articles of interest, I often put them in the daily folder and bring them out to read one at a time.
It's a very simple system, but it has been a big help to me. And it allows me to see, very plainly, when I can't take on any new projects - because the monthly folder is overstuffed!
I am sure there are plenty of computerized programs that approximate what I do with these two folders, but those I've tried so far have proved to be cumbersome and time consuming. I prefer to do it manually.
Friday, May 23, 2008
2 Eggs or a Pop Tart?
An egg has approximately 200 mg of cholesterol, and frying or scrambling it can up the cholesterol to approximately 245 mg. According to Kellogg's, a Blueberry Pop Tart contains no cholesterol, but it does have 39.8 g of carbohydrates - almost half of them from pure sugar. So which is a healthier breakfast - an egg or a Pop Tart?
The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute says you should eat less than 200 mg of dietary cholesterol each day. That's because "cholesterol is one of the major risk factors for heart disease." Not to mention "the higher your blood cholesterol level, the greater your risk for developing heart disease or having a heart attack." So if the egg breakfast has more cholesterol, you might think it's the wrong choice. But you'd be wrong. The egg breakfast wins out over the Pop Tart.
You see, it's not the amount of cholesterol you have in your blood that puts you at risk, but the form in which it's found. Processed foods that are high in sugar can contribute to inflammation and increase the volume of free radical byproducts from metabolism. This can end up increasing the amount of blood cholesterol found in its "oxidized" form, the form your body can't use to build cells and create sex hormones. It's "oxidized" cholesterol that's deposited on the walls of your blood vessels and increases your risk of a heart attack.
It may be counterintuitive. But eating a food that's a little higher in dietary cholesterol but doesn't spike your blood sugar levels and create inflammation is sometimes actually healthier, even if you have "high cholesterol."
The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute says you should eat less than 200 mg of dietary cholesterol each day. That's because "cholesterol is one of the major risk factors for heart disease." Not to mention "the higher your blood cholesterol level, the greater your risk for developing heart disease or having a heart attack." So if the egg breakfast has more cholesterol, you might think it's the wrong choice. But you'd be wrong. The egg breakfast wins out over the Pop Tart.
You see, it's not the amount of cholesterol you have in your blood that puts you at risk, but the form in which it's found. Processed foods that are high in sugar can contribute to inflammation and increase the volume of free radical byproducts from metabolism. This can end up increasing the amount of blood cholesterol found in its "oxidized" form, the form your body can't use to build cells and create sex hormones. It's "oxidized" cholesterol that's deposited on the walls of your blood vessels and increases your risk of a heart attack.
It may be counterintuitive. But eating a food that's a little higher in dietary cholesterol but doesn't spike your blood sugar levels and create inflammation is sometimes actually healthier, even if you have "high cholesterol."
The Calm, Quiet Vitamin
Know what's super bad for your body? Inflammation. It’s thought to be at the core of problems like heart disease and heart attacks.
Know what's a great way to quiet inflammation? Get your fill of vitamin K. Good choices: just about anything leafy and green -- from spinach and kale to collards and turnip greens.
Inflammation is your body's response to injury or infection. And when it occurs in your blood vessels, inflammation can be a sign of bad things to come -- like ruptured arterial plaques, clot formation, heart attack, and stroke. Enter leafy greens. They pack a real vitamin K punch, and more and more research is linking high vitamin K intake to a lower bodywide inflammation index.
Bored with salads? The trick to getting more greens -- and more vitamin K -- into your diet may be learning to use them more creatively.
Simmer kale with chickpeas and exotic spices for this vegetarian Indian dish: Indian-Spiced Kale and Chickpeas.
Slip collard greens into your red sauces, like with this unique Italian dish: Pasta with Greens and Tomato Sauce.
Mix spinach with butternut squash and beans for this Brazilian soup: Amazon Bean Soup with Winter Squash and Greens.
Know what's a great way to quiet inflammation? Get your fill of vitamin K. Good choices: just about anything leafy and green -- from spinach and kale to collards and turnip greens.
Inflammation is your body's response to injury or infection. And when it occurs in your blood vessels, inflammation can be a sign of bad things to come -- like ruptured arterial plaques, clot formation, heart attack, and stroke. Enter leafy greens. They pack a real vitamin K punch, and more and more research is linking high vitamin K intake to a lower bodywide inflammation index.
Bored with salads? The trick to getting more greens -- and more vitamin K -- into your diet may be learning to use them more creatively.
Simmer kale with chickpeas and exotic spices for this vegetarian Indian dish: Indian-Spiced Kale and Chickpeas.
Slip collard greens into your red sauces, like with this unique Italian dish: Pasta with Greens and Tomato Sauce.
Mix spinach with butternut squash and beans for this Brazilian soup: Amazon Bean Soup with Winter Squash and Greens.
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Folks who've done "anti-aging" better than anyone else on the planet.
1. Move. Longevity all-stars engage in regular, low-intensity physical activity, whether it be hiking, shepherding, gardening, walking, yoga, or something else. The data suggest that moderate, even easy, activity done on a daily basis will extend your life.
2. "Hara hachi bu." This Okinawan saying means "Stop eating when your stomach is 80 percent full." Clear enough? Cutting calories by a mere 20 percent will extend your life.
3. Go heavy on the plants. While readers of ETR know that higher-protein diets can be really healthy, that doesn't rule out a diet that's also loaded with vegetables. All of the long-lived peoples investigated by Buettner ate a plant-based diet with almost no processed foods.
4. Drink some alcohol. In Sardinia, it's wine. In Okinawa, it's sake. Whatever you prefer, alcohol in moderation seems to reduce both stress and inflammation. But remember that women who drink need to be getting plenty of folic acid in their diets. (Even moderate drinking raises the risk of breast cancer - but only for women who are folic acid deficient.)
5. See the big picture. Okinawans call it ikigai. Nicoyans call it plan de vida. In both cultures, the phrase translates to "why I wake up in the morning." Develop a strong sense of purpose, connection to others, and community. It's the best anti-aging "medicine" you can find.
2. "Hara hachi bu." This Okinawan saying means "Stop eating when your stomach is 80 percent full." Clear enough? Cutting calories by a mere 20 percent will extend your life.
3. Go heavy on the plants. While readers of ETR know that higher-protein diets can be really healthy, that doesn't rule out a diet that's also loaded with vegetables. All of the long-lived peoples investigated by Buettner ate a plant-based diet with almost no processed foods.
4. Drink some alcohol. In Sardinia, it's wine. In Okinawa, it's sake. Whatever you prefer, alcohol in moderation seems to reduce both stress and inflammation. But remember that women who drink need to be getting plenty of folic acid in their diets. (Even moderate drinking raises the risk of breast cancer - but only for women who are folic acid deficient.)
5. See the big picture. Okinawans call it ikigai. Nicoyans call it plan de vida. In both cultures, the phrase translates to "why I wake up in the morning." Develop a strong sense of purpose, connection to others, and community. It's the best anti-aging "medicine" you can find.
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Interval Training
If a trainer tells you interval training must be done in 30-second... or one-minute... or five-minute increments, he's misinformed. Research shows that all types of intervals will help you burn belly fat better than slow cardio - and there's never been a "head-to-head" study comparing interval workouts of various lengths. But, based on my experience, I have an opinion: I like simple 30-second intervals for fat-loss workouts.
If you do intervals on a cardio machine, it's easy to stick to the 30-second interval timing, followed by a 60-90 second recovery at a much slower pace. If the intervals were any shorter, it would be tough to change the settings on the machine fast enough.
Any type of interval training for fat loss is going to be better than slow cardio - and it allows for faster workouts.
If you do intervals on a cardio machine, it's easy to stick to the 30-second interval timing, followed by a 60-90 second recovery at a much slower pace. If the intervals were any shorter, it would be tough to change the settings on the machine fast enough.
Any type of interval training for fat loss is going to be better than slow cardio - and it allows for faster workouts.
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Lose Your Belly and Thighs
If you want to lose belly fat, you should do lots of crunches. And if you want to tone your thighs, you should reach for your ThighMaster. Right?
Wrong on both counts.
Instead, you should do a form of short-burst exercise.
In one study, Australian researchers from the University of New South Wales put three groups of women through a 15-week fat-loss exercise program. One group was a control group. Another group did three sessions of intervals per week (20 minutes per workout). And the third group did three sessions of long, slow, boring cardio (40 minutes per workout).
Forty-five women were in the study - and it is important to note that they were not all overweight. On average, they had a healthy body mass index of only 23.22 (well below the cut-off of 25 that signals overweight).
At the end of the 15 weeks, only the interval-training group showed significant weight loss and a decrease in body fat and trunk fat. The interval-training group also had a significant loss of fat from their legs. And the more overweight a subject was, the better the interval-training program worked for her.
Oh, and did I mention that the slow, boring cardio workouts did NOT result in a significant loss of body fat? Something we've been saying here at ETR for a long time now...
So if you want to burn your belly fat and lose a few inches from your thighs, get started on a short, 20-minute interval-training program done three times per week. That's all you need.
Wrong on both counts.
Instead, you should do a form of short-burst exercise.
In one study, Australian researchers from the University of New South Wales put three groups of women through a 15-week fat-loss exercise program. One group was a control group. Another group did three sessions of intervals per week (20 minutes per workout). And the third group did three sessions of long, slow, boring cardio (40 minutes per workout).
Forty-five women were in the study - and it is important to note that they were not all overweight. On average, they had a healthy body mass index of only 23.22 (well below the cut-off of 25 that signals overweight).
At the end of the 15 weeks, only the interval-training group showed significant weight loss and a decrease in body fat and trunk fat. The interval-training group also had a significant loss of fat from their legs. And the more overweight a subject was, the better the interval-training program worked for her.
Oh, and did I mention that the slow, boring cardio workouts did NOT result in a significant loss of body fat? Something we've been saying here at ETR for a long time now...
So if you want to burn your belly fat and lose a few inches from your thighs, get started on a short, 20-minute interval-training program done three times per week. That's all you need.
Monday, May 19, 2008
More Antioxidants
A recent comprehensive review of more than 97 studies evaluated the benefits of organics. In the report, "New Evidence Confirms the Nutritional Superiority of Plant-Based Organic Foods," researchers found that organic, plant-based foods contain higher levels of eight out of 11 nutrients studied. That includes significantly greater concentrations of health-promoting antioxidants and polyphenols. But what's more, researchers concluded that organically grown plant foods are 25 percent more nutrient-dense. That means they deliver more nutrition - calorie for calorie - than their conventional counterparts.
Fill your plate with an organic superfood smorgasbord to maximize the health benefits of every bite. You can go green - without spending too much green - by choosing organic foods that are grown locally. Find a farmers' market near you by visiting localharvest.com and savor the best nutrition nature has to offer.
Fill your plate with an organic superfood smorgasbord to maximize the health benefits of every bite. You can go green - without spending too much green - by choosing organic foods that are grown locally. Find a farmers' market near you by visiting localharvest.com and savor the best nutrition nature has to offer.
Saturday, May 17, 2008
Neither a Health Food nor a Vegetable
Not only is cornbread extremely high on the glycemic index (105!!), but a single serving contains more than 56 grams of carbs and 22 grams of sugar. What's more, it's loaded with omega-6 fatty acids, which promote inflammation.
Cornbread is far from health food - and despite being classified as a "vegetable" in country diners, it's not. So double down on those fresh, steamed collard greens and keep the cornbread basket at bay if you don't want your health to go, well... South.
Cornbread is far from health food - and despite being classified as a "vegetable" in country diners, it's not. So double down on those fresh, steamed collard greens and keep the cornbread basket at bay if you don't want your health to go, well... South.
Friday, May 16, 2008
Smoke
Heating oils beyond their flash point - the point at which they oxidize and begin to smoke - gives rise to unpleasant flavors (and smells). More important, it creates lipid oxidation products (LOPs) - dangerous byproducts that cause free radical damage to cells.
To eliminate these cellular villains, use culinary oils cold. Drizzle them over fresh organic salads and roasted veggies to add rich, complex flavor and a healthy source of fat.
When you do choose to fry something, do it safely by using coconut oil. It's a heat-stable, naturally saturated oil that is primarily made up of medium-chain triglycerides. Not only is this "energy fat" metabolized and digested more efficiently than other fats, coconut oil is a significant source of lauric acid - an anti-microbial fatty acid that supports (not suppresses) immune function.
Other heat-stable oils to have on hand for cooking include organic grapeseed oil (which starts to smoke at 420 F), organic extra light olive oil (which starts to smoke at 468 F), organic cold-pressed canola oil (which starts to smoke at 464 F), and organic butter (which starts to smoke at 350 F).
And remember, when in doubt... drizzle.
To eliminate these cellular villains, use culinary oils cold. Drizzle them over fresh organic salads and roasted veggies to add rich, complex flavor and a healthy source of fat.
When you do choose to fry something, do it safely by using coconut oil. It's a heat-stable, naturally saturated oil that is primarily made up of medium-chain triglycerides. Not only is this "energy fat" metabolized and digested more efficiently than other fats, coconut oil is a significant source of lauric acid - an anti-microbial fatty acid that supports (not suppresses) immune function.
Other heat-stable oils to have on hand for cooking include organic grapeseed oil (which starts to smoke at 420 F), organic extra light olive oil (which starts to smoke at 468 F), organic cold-pressed canola oil (which starts to smoke at 464 F), and organic butter (which starts to smoke at 350 F).
And remember, when in doubt... drizzle.
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Increase your brainpower
"Statistically, the most common form of memory loss occurs through natural aging," says Baddeley. "You become worse at encoding and retrieving new information, particularly arbitrary information, such as people's names." One way to battle this brain drain is by recruiting help from your sense of sight.
"Your visual sense takes up roughly 60 percent of your brain area," says Frank Felberbaum, a memory-training expert and the author of The Business of Memory. So if you want to remember someone's name, turn it into a visual image and link it to a prominent part of the person's appearance.
In Felberbaum's case, he says, picture falling (fel) beer (ber) bombs (baum) hitting him on the nose. The key is to pick a facial feature that's both distinctive and unlikely to change over time; results may vary with Hollywood starlets and members of the Jackson family.
"Your visual sense takes up roughly 60 percent of your brain area," says Frank Felberbaum, a memory-training expert and the author of The Business of Memory. So if you want to remember someone's name, turn it into a visual image and link it to a prominent part of the person's appearance.
In Felberbaum's case, he says, picture falling (fel) beer (ber) bombs (baum) hitting him on the nose. The key is to pick a facial feature that's both distinctive and unlikely to change over time; results may vary with Hollywood starlets and members of the Jackson family.
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Helps a Lot
In a review of 61 studies, Australian researchers found that modest weight loss resulted in a preferential loss of visceral adipose tissue (VAT). VAT is the fat that is most often found in those "hard beer bellies" of older men - the fat associated with a risk for heart disease.
As soon as you start a fat-loss program, the first fat to go tends to be that potentially deadly belly fat. So just by losing a few pounds, you can make a dramatic improvement in your overall health.
To get going on your fat-loss program, reduce the number of calories you eat each day by 10-20 percent and start doing resistance and interval training.
As soon as you start a fat-loss program, the first fat to go tends to be that potentially deadly belly fat. So just by losing a few pounds, you can make a dramatic improvement in your overall health.
To get going on your fat-loss program, reduce the number of calories you eat each day by 10-20 percent and start doing resistance and interval training.
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Boost Metabolism
The best way to boost your metabolism is not with an overpriced, full-of-caffeine pill from a bottle. No matter what the magazine ads say, these supplements will not have a lasting effect on your metabolism.
Why is it important to boost your metabolism anyway?
Your metabolism is the rate at which you burn fat and calories. If you don't do resistance-training exercise, your metabolism decreases with age as you lose muscle.
Oops, I just gave you the secret to boosting metabolism.
In a recent study, researchers divided subjects into three groups. One group changed only their diet, the second group changed their diet and added aerobic exercise, and the third group changed their diet and did resistance training. All three groups lost about 25 pounds.
However, the resistance-training group was the only one that maintained their lean muscle mass and, as a result, lost more fat (since they lost the same amount of weight as the two groups that weren't able to maintain their lean muscle mass).
Plus, with their metabolism still running high, the resistance-training group had a greater potential for even more fat loss down the road.
So if you want to lose fat, sculpt your body, and boost your metabolism, there is no better way than to add two or three resistance-training workouts to your weekly schedule.
Why is it important to boost your metabolism anyway?
Your metabolism is the rate at which you burn fat and calories. If you don't do resistance-training exercise, your metabolism decreases with age as you lose muscle.
Oops, I just gave you the secret to boosting metabolism.
In a recent study, researchers divided subjects into three groups. One group changed only their diet, the second group changed their diet and added aerobic exercise, and the third group changed their diet and did resistance training. All three groups lost about 25 pounds.
However, the resistance-training group was the only one that maintained their lean muscle mass and, as a result, lost more fat (since they lost the same amount of weight as the two groups that weren't able to maintain their lean muscle mass).
Plus, with their metabolism still running high, the resistance-training group had a greater potential for even more fat loss down the road.
So if you want to lose fat, sculpt your body, and boost your metabolism, there is no better way than to add two or three resistance-training workouts to your weekly schedule.
Monday, May 12, 2008
Break From Exercise
If you are regularly training with weights or doing interval training (as you should for maximum health benefits and fat loss), consider taking off a week for recovery every three months.
For example, if you are currently doing resistance training and interval training three days per week, you could do only one normal workout during your recovery week. You should stay active every day, but for the rest of that week, you'd engage in low-intensity activities only, such as walking or bodyweight exercises.
Taking a week off will give your muscles and joints a rest, and help avoid overuse injuries. So schedule a week off before your body schedules one for you.
For example, if you are currently doing resistance training and interval training three days per week, you could do only one normal workout during your recovery week. You should stay active every day, but for the rest of that week, you'd engage in low-intensity activities only, such as walking or bodyweight exercises.
Taking a week off will give your muscles and joints a rest, and help avoid overuse injuries. So schedule a week off before your body schedules one for you.
Saturday, May 10, 2008
Push-Ups
If you're already doing full push-ups, here's how to improve your fitness score: Start by doing half the number of repetitions you can do, rest 30 seconds, repeat that same number of push-ups, rest 30 seconds again, and then repeat the push-ups.
Do this two or three times per week, decreasing the rest period by 10 seconds each week. Retest your max after three weeks.
Do this two or three times per week, decreasing the rest period by 10 seconds each week. Retest your max after three weeks.
Friday, May 9, 2008
Foods That Make You Happy
Ever wish there were a happy pill to spritz up your spirits when you're out of sorts? To make you laugh when you're feeling down? Or to calm your nerves when you're about to bite someone's head off? Well, get this: There are several things in your kitchen that might just do the trick, and they taste a lot better than any pill.
A Little Dessert: Sugar soothes us when we're stressed -- or at least it soothes stressed-out rats -- which are remarkably good models for stress in people. But before you race to the vending machine with a license to binge, know that while a little sugar may soothe rattled nerves, too much will re-rattle them by causing havoc with your blood sugar. Here are some treats that’ll give you just enough:
· A small slice of angel food cake with 1/2 cup of strawberries
· 2 Fig Newman cookies and a 6-ounce glass of juice
· Fast Fruit-and-Chocolate Fondue:
o 1 cup fresh strawberries
o 1 peeled, sliced kiwi
o 1/4 cup fat-free chocolate syrup
Dunk fruit into syrup, lean back, and smile!
A Little Dessert: Sugar soothes us when we're stressed -- or at least it soothes stressed-out rats -- which are remarkably good models for stress in people. But before you race to the vending machine with a license to binge, know that while a little sugar may soothe rattled nerves, too much will re-rattle them by causing havoc with your blood sugar. Here are some treats that’ll give you just enough:
· A small slice of angel food cake with 1/2 cup of strawberries
· 2 Fig Newman cookies and a 6-ounce glass of juice
· Fast Fruit-and-Chocolate Fondue:
o 1 cup fresh strawberries
o 1 peeled, sliced kiwi
o 1/4 cup fat-free chocolate syrup
Dunk fruit into syrup, lean back, and smile!
Thursday, May 8, 2008
THE SECRETS FOR STAYING LEAN
Some tough love about fat loss:
"Real regrets only come from not doing your best. Expect half-hearted results from half-hearted efforts."
Here's how this applies to your fat-loss program: Who are the ones on the cardio confessional every Monday? The people who did not do their best on the weekend with their diet. Most of us fail to control ourselves and end up only with regrets. We trade minutes of pleasure (in the form of fast food) for days, months, and years of regret. Do not let this happen to you.
Focus on quality workouts, not quantity. Focus on planning ahead to overcome obstacles, rather than trying to "out-cardio" your bad diet. Finally, always hit a personal best in each workout-this guarantees progress.
Remember, in order to lose fat you must:
1. Plan and prepare your nutrition in advance.
2. Follow a workout routine that is more intense than anything you'd put together for yourself.
3. Get social support from others who have gone through the same trials and tribulations that you face.
This is your recipe for success.
"Real regrets only come from not doing your best. Expect half-hearted results from half-hearted efforts."
Here's how this applies to your fat-loss program: Who are the ones on the cardio confessional every Monday? The people who did not do their best on the weekend with their diet. Most of us fail to control ourselves and end up only with regrets. We trade minutes of pleasure (in the form of fast food) for days, months, and years of regret. Do not let this happen to you.
Focus on quality workouts, not quantity. Focus on planning ahead to overcome obstacles, rather than trying to "out-cardio" your bad diet. Finally, always hit a personal best in each workout-this guarantees progress.
Remember, in order to lose fat you must:
1. Plan and prepare your nutrition in advance.
2. Follow a workout routine that is more intense than anything you'd put together for yourself.
3. Get social support from others who have gone through the same trials and tribulations that you face.
This is your recipe for success.
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Back's Best Time to Work Out
In general, there is no best time for a fat-loss workout. Training in the afternoon should get you the same results as training in the morning. Still, there are some important things to consider when determining when to work out:
Will you able to train at a proper intensity at that time, or will you be tired?
Will you be able to eat properly before and after the workout?
Will you stick to a workout program scheduled for that time?
Will exercising at that time be hard on your back?
Why do I bring up that last point? Because Dr. Stuart McGill, an expert in low-back disorders, recommends waiting at least an hour after waking up before engaging in any exercise that includes trunk flexion (i.e., traditional ab exercises like crunches). The reason behind his recommendation: Overnight, the discs between your vertebrae fill with fluid and are more susceptible to injury in the morning.
So don't roll out of bed and start doing sit-ups. (Most people should not be doing them anyway). And if you have soreness in the lower back, avoid bending over early in the morning. Use a position that is more back-friendly when putting on your socks and shoes, picking up dumbbells from the floor, etc. And no matter when you exercise, pay attention to your form and exercise selection.
Bottom line: You can still have a great workout in the morning, as long as you are extra careful of your back and lifting technique.
Will you able to train at a proper intensity at that time, or will you be tired?
Will you be able to eat properly before and after the workout?
Will you stick to a workout program scheduled for that time?
Will exercising at that time be hard on your back?
Why do I bring up that last point? Because Dr. Stuart McGill, an expert in low-back disorders, recommends waiting at least an hour after waking up before engaging in any exercise that includes trunk flexion (i.e., traditional ab exercises like crunches). The reason behind his recommendation: Overnight, the discs between your vertebrae fill with fluid and are more susceptible to injury in the morning.
So don't roll out of bed and start doing sit-ups. (Most people should not be doing them anyway). And if you have soreness in the lower back, avoid bending over early in the morning. Use a position that is more back-friendly when putting on your socks and shoes, picking up dumbbells from the floor, etc. And no matter when you exercise, pay attention to your form and exercise selection.
Bottom line: You can still have a great workout in the morning, as long as you are extra careful of your back and lifting technique.
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Sweet Tooth
The next time you get a chocolate craving, forgo the candy bar (or energy bar). Reach for a low-sugar, protein-rich chocolate smoothie instead. You'll balance your blood sugar, and may help reduce your risk of colon cancer as well.
In the Women's Health Study, researchers found that a high glycemic load significantly increased the risk of colon cancer in women. That's because foods that spike blood sugar and insulin levels contribute to an environment in your body that feeds tumor growth.
When you need a quick chocolate fix, try this: Mix 1 scoop Health FX Whey Advanced (an all-natural whey protein with no added sugar or artificial ingredients) with 1 tablespoon organic cocoa, 1/3 cup berries, and 1 1/2 cups water. Whirl in a blender and satisfy your sweet tooth... safely.
In the Women's Health Study, researchers found that a high glycemic load significantly increased the risk of colon cancer in women. That's because foods that spike blood sugar and insulin levels contribute to an environment in your body that feeds tumor growth.
When you need a quick chocolate fix, try this: Mix 1 scoop Health FX Whey Advanced (an all-natural whey protein with no added sugar or artificial ingredients) with 1 tablespoon organic cocoa, 1/3 cup berries, and 1 1/2 cups water. Whirl in a blender and satisfy your sweet tooth... safely.
Monday, May 5, 2008
Delica-Sea
Do you eat crab legs? Crab is an excellent source of zinc - a powerful antioxidant mineral that supports a healthy immune system and is involved in DNA synthesis.
In a recent study published in Epidemiology, a lack of zinc combined with an excess of copper and a deficiency in magnesium increased the risk for both heart disease and cancer.
If you're not keen on crab, there are plenty of other excellent sources of zinc. Oysters, clams, and lobster are high on the list, as are grass-fed beef, nuts, peanut butter, beans, lentils, and yogurt.
In a recent study published in Epidemiology, a lack of zinc combined with an excess of copper and a deficiency in magnesium increased the risk for both heart disease and cancer.
If you're not keen on crab, there are plenty of other excellent sources of zinc. Oysters, clams, and lobster are high on the list, as are grass-fed beef, nuts, peanut butter, beans, lentils, and yogurt.
Saturday, May 3, 2008
Toxic Cosmetics!
Would you knowingly go out and buy mercury or lead and put it on your skin? No. You are certainly smarter than that. But the important word here is "knowingly " - because, believe it or not, there are still cosmetics and skin care products out there in the marketplace that are made with toxic ingredients. Fortunately, one website is pointing out the offenders so you can keep yourself safe.
A recent report published by the Environmental Working Group, a non-profit research organization in Washington, DC, identifies these products on their sister website, SafeCosmetics.org. (Who knew that some companies put mercury in their mascara?)
We tend to forget that the skin is the largest organ of the body. Your skin literally drinks in what you put on it. So before you buy any cosmetics or skin care products, check the SafeCosmetics website.
A recent report published by the Environmental Working Group, a non-profit research organization in Washington, DC, identifies these products on their sister website, SafeCosmetics.org. (Who knew that some companies put mercury in their mascara?)
We tend to forget that the skin is the largest organ of the body. Your skin literally drinks in what you put on it. So before you buy any cosmetics or skin care products, check the SafeCosmetics website.
Friday, May 2, 2008
Snacks to Fill You Up Fast
Most diet plans portray snacking as a failure. Think of snacking as exactly the opposite -- as a key to success! But the secret to effective snacking is doing so at the optimum time -- about 2 hours before you're scheduled to eat your next meal. That'll be enough time to head off hunger pangs and keep you full enough to avoid a meltdown at mealtime. You have a lot of flexibility in what you use to snack. You could have a portion of a leftover from dinner, a sandwich, a smoothie, or a combination of some of the Abs Diet Powerfoods. To make it easier, pick one food from column A and one from column B. That will ensure your satiety.
A
Protein
2 teaspoons reduced-fat peanut butter
1 ounce almonds
3 slices low-sodium deli turkey breast
3 slices deli roast beef
Dairy
8 ounces low-fat yogurt
1 cup 1% milk or chocolate milk
3/4 cup low-fat ice cream
1 1/2 slices fat-free cheese
1 stick string cheese
B
Fruit or Vegetable
1 ounce raisins
Raw vegetables (celery, baby carrots, broccoli), unlimited
1 1/2 cup berries
4 ounces cantaloupe
1 large orange
1 can (11.5 ounces) low-sodium V8 juice
Complex Carbohydrate
1 or 2 slices whole-grain bread
1 bowl oatmeal or high-fiber cereal
A
Protein
2 teaspoons reduced-fat peanut butter
1 ounce almonds
3 slices low-sodium deli turkey breast
3 slices deli roast beef
Dairy
8 ounces low-fat yogurt
1 cup 1% milk or chocolate milk
3/4 cup low-fat ice cream
1 1/2 slices fat-free cheese
1 stick string cheese
B
Fruit or Vegetable
1 ounce raisins
Raw vegetables (celery, baby carrots, broccoli), unlimited
1 1/2 cup berries
4 ounces cantaloupe
1 large orange
1 can (11.5 ounces) low-sodium V8 juice
Complex Carbohydrate
1 or 2 slices whole-grain bread
1 bowl oatmeal or high-fiber cereal
Thursday, May 1, 2008
Sunscreen Cause Skin Cancer?
When sunscreen lotion first came on the market, it was marketed as a way to prevent sunburn. Over the years, however, the marketing angle changed when manufacturers realized there is more money to be made by claiming their products protect against dreaded skin cancer.
Only problem is that while sunscreen can protect you against sunburn, there is no evidence it will protect you from skin cancer. In fact, the evidence suggests the opposite - that sunscreens have partially caused an increase in skin cancer!
One of the most common ingredients in commercial sunscreens is a chemical known as PABA or padimate-O, which is known to produce genetic mutations that can lead to cancer. Even more incredibly, PABA becomes aggressively carcinogenic only when it is illuminated by UV light. In other words, exposure to sunlight is what causes this chemical to attack your DNA.
Only problem is that while sunscreen can protect you against sunburn, there is no evidence it will protect you from skin cancer. In fact, the evidence suggests the opposite - that sunscreens have partially caused an increase in skin cancer!
One of the most common ingredients in commercial sunscreens is a chemical known as PABA or padimate-O, which is known to produce genetic mutations that can lead to cancer. Even more incredibly, PABA becomes aggressively carcinogenic only when it is illuminated by UV light. In other words, exposure to sunlight is what causes this chemical to attack your DNA.
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Ward Off Three Health Disasters
Nuts and seeds like cashews, pistachios, and walnuts often get a bad rap for their high fat and calorie content. Yet, they are among the best foods for igniting metabolism and controlling hunger. Even better than that, nuts and seeds can help protect against three major diseases.
Unlike sugary snacks, nuts and seeds do not spike blood sugar or the fat-storing hormone insulin. Why is this important? As insulin surges into the blood, it removes two anti-aging substances - growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor. Worse, excess blood levels of insulin lead to obesity, heart disease, and Type II diabetes. So choosing snacks - like nuts and seeds - that keep your insulin in check can actually help ward off these three health disasters
Unlike sugary snacks, nuts and seeds do not spike blood sugar or the fat-storing hormone insulin. Why is this important? As insulin surges into the blood, it removes two anti-aging substances - growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor. Worse, excess blood levels of insulin lead to obesity, heart disease, and Type II diabetes. So choosing snacks - like nuts and seeds - that keep your insulin in check can actually help ward off these three health disasters
Monday, April 28, 2008
Strawberries
In the Women's Health Study, researchers examined the relationship between eating strawberries and the risk of cardiovascular disease and CRP. They found that women who ate two or more servings of strawberries per week had a 14 percent lower risk of elevated CRP (3 mg/L or higher) than women who ate none.
Remember, strawberries are one of the crops most contaminated by pesticides, so be sure the ones you eat are organic. Just one cup of fresh or frozen organic strawberries - tossed on a salad, whirled into a smoothie, or enjoyed fresh from the carton - will give you those two inflammation-slashing servings.
Remember, strawberries are one of the crops most contaminated by pesticides, so be sure the ones you eat are organic. Just one cup of fresh or frozen organic strawberries - tossed on a salad, whirled into a smoothie, or enjoyed fresh from the carton - will give you those two inflammation-slashing servings.
Saturday, April 26, 2008
A Swiss study that found five of these chemicals in commonly used sunscreens:
Swiss study that found five of these chemicals in commonly used sunscreens:
Octyl-dimethyl-PABA (OD-PABA)
Benzophenone-3 (Bp-3)
Homosalate (HMS)
Octyl-methoxycinnamate (OMC)
4-methyl-benzylidene camphor (4-MBC)
In laboratory testing, each one of these chemicals behaves like estrogen. And when they are combined, they can have a synergistic effect. In other words, two "weak" xenoestrogens can produce a very strong response.
Not only does this disrupt the hormonal system, but these chemicals are known to stimulate tumor growth and the spread of cancer. (Not to mention a decline in male sperm count, early puberty, and feminine characteristics in men.)
And don't think you're safe just because you don't "ingest" these chemicals. Clinical studies show that they easily penetrate the skin and enter the bloodstream.
Whenever possible, you should avoid using chemical sunscreen. Protect yourself from sunburn with clothing and shade. And when it is necessary to use sunscreen, look for a chemical-free product with zinc oxide as the active ingredient. (You can find several brands at health food stores.)
Octyl-dimethyl-PABA (OD-PABA)
Benzophenone-3 (Bp-3)
Homosalate (HMS)
Octyl-methoxycinnamate (OMC)
4-methyl-benzylidene camphor (4-MBC)
In laboratory testing, each one of these chemicals behaves like estrogen. And when they are combined, they can have a synergistic effect. In other words, two "weak" xenoestrogens can produce a very strong response.
Not only does this disrupt the hormonal system, but these chemicals are known to stimulate tumor growth and the spread of cancer. (Not to mention a decline in male sperm count, early puberty, and feminine characteristics in men.)
And don't think you're safe just because you don't "ingest" these chemicals. Clinical studies show that they easily penetrate the skin and enter the bloodstream.
Whenever possible, you should avoid using chemical sunscreen. Protect yourself from sunburn with clothing and shade. And when it is necessary to use sunscreen, look for a chemical-free product with zinc oxide as the active ingredient. (You can find several brands at health food stores.)
Friday, April 25, 2008
Boost Antioxidants
A recent study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition evaluated the antioxidant content of foods after they were prepared in several different ways. Based on the results of that study, here's how to get far more free-radical fighting ability out of some of your favorites than they have when they're raw:
Carrots: Steaming boosts antioxidants by 291%; boiling by 129-159%.
Asparagus: Steaming boosts antioxidants by 205%.
Broccoli: Steaming boosts antioxidants by 122-654%.
Green Cabbage: Steaming boosts antioxidants by 448%.
Red Cabbage: Steaming boosts antioxidants by 270%.
Green Pepper: Steaming boosts antioxidants by 467%.
Red Pepper: Steaming boosts antioxidants by 180%.
Tomatoes: Steaming boosts antioxidants by 112-164%.
Spinach: Boiling boosts antioxidants by 84-114%.
Sweet Potatoes: Steaming boosts antioxidants by 413%.
Carrots: Steaming boosts antioxidants by 291%; boiling by 129-159%.
Asparagus: Steaming boosts antioxidants by 205%.
Broccoli: Steaming boosts antioxidants by 122-654%.
Green Cabbage: Steaming boosts antioxidants by 448%.
Red Cabbage: Steaming boosts antioxidants by 270%.
Green Pepper: Steaming boosts antioxidants by 467%.
Red Pepper: Steaming boosts antioxidants by 180%.
Tomatoes: Steaming boosts antioxidants by 112-164%.
Spinach: Boiling boosts antioxidants by 84-114%.
Sweet Potatoes: Steaming boosts antioxidants by 413%.
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Building energy
Colostrum is the early milk that a mammal produces for a few days after delivering a baby. In cows, it's called bovine colostrum. A study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine reports that bovine colostrum helped male cyclists have more energy during a bout of intense training.
Cecelia Shing, at the University of Queensland in Australia, followed 29 male distance cyclists. Her research team first took baseline measurements of the men's performance on a 40-kilometer time trial. They then randomly assigned the cyclists to drink either a supplement containing 10 grams of bovine colostrum protein or a whey protein supplement every day for eight weeks. During week eight, the men underwent five consecutive days of high-intensity training. There were no clear differences between the two groups during normal training. However, volunteers who used bovine colostrum performed at a higher level, with fewer signs of fatigue, during tests taken after the five-day run of intense training.
There are certain foods that I would consider superfoods in that they have a high concentration of substances useful for well-being and overall health. Colostrum falls into this category. It is rich in immunoglobulins - proteins involved in promoting the immune system and fighting germs. It has other beneficial compounds, too - such as growth factors and nucleosides - that are not found in regular milk.
You can find bovine colostrum in the dairy section of any health food store. It is also available as a supplement in capsule form.
Cecelia Shing, at the University of Queensland in Australia, followed 29 male distance cyclists. Her research team first took baseline measurements of the men's performance on a 40-kilometer time trial. They then randomly assigned the cyclists to drink either a supplement containing 10 grams of bovine colostrum protein or a whey protein supplement every day for eight weeks. During week eight, the men underwent five consecutive days of high-intensity training. There were no clear differences between the two groups during normal training. However, volunteers who used bovine colostrum performed at a higher level, with fewer signs of fatigue, during tests taken after the five-day run of intense training.
There are certain foods that I would consider superfoods in that they have a high concentration of substances useful for well-being and overall health. Colostrum falls into this category. It is rich in immunoglobulins - proteins involved in promoting the immune system and fighting germs. It has other beneficial compounds, too - such as growth factors and nucleosides - that are not found in regular milk.
You can find bovine colostrum in the dairy section of any health food store. It is also available as a supplement in capsule form.
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