'Five Per Day' is probably NOT enough!

There is a big public awareness health campaign within the UK centred around getting '5 per day', ie, 5 servings of fruit or vegetable per day.  However, recent research has suggetsed that may not be enough!  Some estimates put the receommendation as high as 12 or 13 servings per day!

This is because modern methods of farming (depleted soil, picking the fruit or vegetable too early, etc) reduce the overall amounts of vitamins and minerals within fruits and vegetables.  Add to this cold storage transportation and the amount of time produce sits on the shelves and it's no wonder that the amount of nutrients in these fruits and vegetables is reduced.

This phenominon is not limited to the U.K. either! 

Jayson Hunter, RD, CSCS, recently wrote,
"Goals were created back in 2000 by the Health Department and other agencies for fruit and vegetable consumption and now nearing the end of 2010 they look certain to be missed.  The National Fruit and Vegetable Alliance (NFVA) found that very few Americans meet the daily recommendations for fruit and vegetable consumption.

Some progress has been made, but some has also been lost.  This is a chronic public health issue. 

Only 6% of individuals achieve their recommended target for vegetables and only 8% achieved the target for fruit per day.  See both charts below.

It is not surprising that 8 states who have the lowest fruit and vegetable consumption are also in the top 10 for states with the highest obesity rates"


Ironically, I think some of this has to do with those fearing that fruit makes them fat and that it contains sugars and we can't eat any type of sugar.

Obviously what has been attempted in regards to promotion and marketing has been at least falling short at worst not been working at all. 

Getting enough vitamins and minerals is paramount, especially since including fruits and vegetables as part of a healthy diet is likely to reduce the risk of chronic diseases including stroke, cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancer.  They may also help control weight since they are low in calories and high in fiber.

In 2008 obesity related health care costs totaled an estimated $147 billion which was 10% of all medical spending in the United States.

Even if you are one of the 8% that is actually meeting the daily suggested intake of fruits and vegetables I am willing to bet that you are not eating a wide variety of colorful fruits and vegetables to consume all the different vitamins and minerals.

This is why even doctors and other medical organizations are recommending a quality daily multivitamin supplement.  This is a major public health issue and it seems to not be getting any better so the least you can do is take a quality whole food based multivitamin every day so that you consume quality vitamins and minerals that you are not receiving from your current food intake.

Then of course start working on increasing your daily fruit and vegetable consumption.
Natures Sunshine Super Supplemental can help fill the void. One tablet contains: -

• Vitamin A.........1,000µg......125
• Vitamin C...........125mg......208
• Vitamin D............2.7µg.......54
• Vitamin E..............8mg......182
• Vitamin B1............6mg......429
• Vitamin B2...........4.7mg......294
• Niacin..................15mg........83
• Vitamin B6.............7mg.......360
• Folic acid............. .85µg........42
• Vitamin B12...........25µg....2500
• Biotin................... 79µg........53
• Pantothenic acid... 34mg......569
• Calcium..............105mg........13
• Iron.....................7.5mg.......54
• Phosphorus.......... 66mg.........8
• Iodine...................50µg........34
• Magnesium.........100mg........34
• Zinc.....................7.5mg........50
• Selenium.............. 25µg
• Copper................0.5mg
• Manganese.........0.75mg
• Chromium..............25µg

Other ingredients include choline, inositol and PABA. All of this is contained in a base of alfalfa herb, asparagus powder, barley grass juice, broccoli powder, cabbage powder, hesperidin, lemon bioflavonoids, rutin, rose hips, wheat germ and kelp.

This is a perfect start for you to increase the nutrients you need so desperately from fruits and veggies. Get started today by clicking either link below.
Super Supplemental Vitamins & Minerals

The following press statement was released by EurekAlert on the 24th November, which basically sums up healthy eating, which I have been teaching my clients for years...


Contact: Professor Arne Astrup
ast@life.ku.dk
452-143-3302
University of Copenhagen 

Danish researchers finally solve the obesity riddle

		IMAGE: This chart shows changes in body weight. Click here for more information.

Researchers at the Faculty of Life Sciences (LIFE), University of Copenhagen, can now unveil the results of the world's largest diet study: If you want to lose weight, you should maintain a diet that is high in proteins with more lean meat, low-fat dairy products and beans and fewer finely refined starch calories such as white bread and white rice. With this diet, you can also eat until you are full without counting calories and without gaining weight. Finally, the extensive study concludes that the official dietary recommendations are not sufficient for preventing obesity.

The large-scale random study called Diogenes has investigated the optimum diet composition for preventing and treating obesity. The study was conducted by eight European research centres and headed by Thomas Meinert Larsen, PhD, and Professor Arne Astrup, DrMedSc and Head of Department at the Faculty of Life Sciences (LIFE) and is funded by an EU grant of EUR 14.5 million.

The results were recently published in the distinguished New England Journal of Medicine and have already attracted considerable international attention.

The objective of the Diogenes study has been to compare the official dietary recommendations in Europe, including the Danish recommendations, with a diet based on the latest knowledge about the importance of proteins and carbohydrates for appetite regulation. A total of 772 European families participated, comprising 938 adult family members and 827 children. The overweight adults initially followed an 800 kcal/day diet for eight weeks, losing an average of 11 kg. They were then randomly assigned to one of five different low-fat diet types which they followed for six months in order to test which diet was most effective at preventing weight regain. Throughout the project, the families received expert guidance from dieticians and were asked to provide blood and urine samples.

The five diet types

The design comprised the following five diet types:

• A low-protein diet (13% of energy consumed) with a high glycemic index (GI)*
• A low-protein, low-GI diet
• A high-protein (25% of energy consumed), low-GI diet
• A high-protein, high-GI diet
• A control group which followed the current dietary recommendations without special instructions regarding glycemic index levels

A high-protein, low-GI diet works best

A total of 938 overweight adults with a mean body mass index (BMI) of 34 kg/sq m were initially placed on an 800-kcal-per-day diet for eight weeks before the actual diet intervention was initiated. A total of 773 adult participants completed this initial weight-loss phase and were then randomly assigned to one of five different diet types, where 548 participants completed the six-month diet intervention (completion rate of 71%).

Fewer participants in the high-protein, low-GI groups dropped out of the project than in the low-protein, high-GI group (26.4% and 25.6%, respectively, vs. 37.4%; P = 0.02 and P = 0.01 for the two comparisons, respectively). The initial weight loss on the 800-kcal diet was an average of 11.0 kg.

The average weight regain among all participants was 0.5 kg, but among the participants who completed the study, those in the low-protein/high-GI group showed the poorest results with a significant weight gain of 1.67 kg. The weight regain was 0.93 kg less for participants on a high-protein diet than for those on a low-protein diet and 0.95 kg less in the groups on a low-GI diet compared to those on a high-GI diet.

The children's study

The results of the children's study have been published in a separate article in the American medical journal Pediatrics. In the families, there were 827 children who only participated in the diet intervention. Thus, they were never required to go on a diet or count calories – they simply followed the same diet as their parents. Approx. 45% of the children in these families were overweight. The results of the children's study were remarkable: In the group of children who maintained a high-protein, low-GI diet the prevalence of overweight dropped spontaneously from approx. 46% to 39% – a decrease of approx. 15%.

Proteins and low-GI foods ad libitum – the way ahead

The Diogenes study shows that the current dietary recommendations are not optimal for preventing weight gain among overweight people. A diet consisting of a slightly higher protein content and low-GI foods ad libitum appears to be easier to observe and has been documented to ensure that overweight people who have lost weight maintain their weight loss. Furthermore, the diet results in a spontaneous drop in the prevalence of overweight among their children.

###

*Re. Glycemic index, please see the accompanying appendix

References:

1. "Diets with High or Low Protein Content and Glycemic Index for Weight-Loss Maintenance" Thomas Meinert Larsen, PhD, Stine-Mathilde Dalskov, MSc, Marleen van Baak, PhD, Susan Ann Jebb, PhD, Angeliki Papadaki, PhD, Andreas F.H. Pfeiffer, MD, J. Alfredo Martinez, PhD, Teodora Handjieva-Darlenska, MD, PhD, Marie Kunešová, MD, PhD, Mats Pihlsgård, PhD, Steen Stender, MD, PhD, Claus Holst, PhD, Wim H.M. Saris, MD, PhD, and Arne Astrup, MD, DrMedSc, for the Diet, Obesity, and Genes (Diogenes) Project; New England Journal of Medicine, published online 25 Nov. 2010.

2. The Effect of Protein and Glycemic Index on Children's Body Composition: The DiOGenes Randomized Study; Angeliki Papadaki Manolis Linardakis, Thomas M. Larsen, Marleen A. van Baak, Anna Karin Lindroos, Andreas F. H. Pfeiffer, J. Alfredo Martinez, Teodora, Handjieva-Darlenska, Marie Kunesová, Claus Holst, Arne Astrup, Wim H. M. Saris and Anthony Kafatos on behalf of the Diogenes Study Group; Pediatrics, Vol. 126, 5 Nov. 2010.

For more information, please contact:

Professor Arne Astrup, DrMedSc, Head of the pan-European diet intervention study Diogenes
Email: ast@life.ku.dk
Tel.: +45 2143 3302

Associate Professor Thomas Meinert Larsen, PhD, Head of Project and Principal Author of the NEJM article
Email: tml@life.ku.dk
Tel.: +45 2271 7058

* Eat more proteins and less refined starch (low GI)

The glycemic index is a measure of the ability of carbohydrates to increase blood glucose levels when absorbed in the body. Food with a low-glycemic index (LGI) causes blood glucose levels to increase more slowly and to lower levels compared to high-carbohydrate foods with a high glycemic index

Drastic increases in blood glucose levels give rise to several potentially undesirable effects that can influence the body's metabolism as well as our ability to perform mentally. It is therefore most appropriate to maintain a diet that results in slow digestion and thus more stable blood glucose levels and greater satiety.

A diet with a high protein content contains many protein-rich foods such as lean meat, poultry, fish, eggs and low-fat dairy products. Legumes also contain high levels of protein, as do nuts and almonds. Proteins are significantly more filling than both carbohydrates and fat.

Special requirements for a low-glycemic diet

The glycemic index applies to carbohydrate-containing foods. The recommendations are that some types of fruit may be consumed ad libitum, such as apples, pears, oranges, raspberries and strawberries. Other types should be eaten in only very limited amounts, including bananas (especially overripe bananas), grapes, kiwi, pineapple and melon. Nearly all vegetables are permitted, with the exception of corn, which should be limited. Carrots, beets and parsnip should preferably be eaten raw.

With regard to cereal-based foods (bread, grain, corn, hulled grains and breakfast products), the goal is to eat as many coarse and wholegrain foods as possible, i.e. wholegrain breads with many kernels, wholegrain pasta, whole oats and the special varieties of wholegrain cornflakes

Potatoes should be cooked as little as possible. Try to stick to new potatoes, and it is a good idea to eat them cold. Avoid mashed potatoes and baked potatoes.

Pasta should be cooked al dente and is best eaten cold.

Choose rice varieties such as brown rice, parboiled rice or basmati.

White bread without kernels, white rice and sugary breakfast products should be avoided. In general, sugar intake should be limited, not so much because of its GI but to avoid all those 'empty calories'.

Recommended GI values:

Over 70 – high GI
55-70 – medium GI
Under 55 – low GI

High-GI foods can still be healthy and vice versa. Carrots, for instance, have a high GI (72), while chocolate has a low GI (49). Fats help decrease the absorption of sugar in the blood, which means that carbohydrate-containing foods and fat can have a low GI.

Example of a day's menu for a high-protein, low-GI diet

If you want to maintain a high-protein, low-GI diet, daily meals could be composed as follows:

Breakfast: Low-fat A38 with muesli (without added sugar), wholegrain crispbread with low-fat cheese, an orange

Morning: Vegetable sticks and low-fat cheese sticks

Lunch: Wholegrain rye bread with lean meat or chicken cold cuts, mackerel in tomato sauce and misc. vegetables

Afternoon: Wholegrain rye bread with low-fat liver pâté and cucumber

Dinner: Stir-fried turkey with vegetables and wholegrain pasta; avocado salad with feta cheese and sugar peas

It is best to drink water or low-fat milk with meals.

To sum up, there is nothing particular about this diet with the exception of the above-mentioned limitations, special cooking instructions and the fact that certain vegetables should be eaten raw. This diet generally complies with the official dietary recommendations of eating plenty of fruit and vegetables, low-fat foods, plenty of fibre and limiting sugar intake.

"Get Abs #1" - my advice

Matt Kay recently wrote a blog on the Inspiring Fitness website that highlighted the need to reduce stress to help you achieve the six pack you desire. He highlighted the importance of coping with stressors and gave recommendations on how to deal with stress, like identifying the stressor, avoiding stressors, managing the stress, getting plenty of sleep and exercise, and nutrition and supplementation to help you cope with stress.
I'd like to flesh out these points and give my own advice on how to deal with stress in your life. This will not only help you achieve the flat, waterboard stomach you see in magazines and movies, but also prevent diseases of a stressful lifestyle including cardiovascular disease, Type II diabetes, hypertension, depression, eczema, IBS, insomnia, fatigue and some forms of cancer.
A lot of the content of this blog comes from The Smart Health Guide To Stress, distributed at Nuffield Health sites. I picked my copy up at the Covent Garden site.

What Is Stress?
Getting 'stressed' is defined as feeling pressure exceeding our ability to cope, i.e. events becoming out of our control.
Stress is not necessarily a bad thing. We have evolved to react to stress by releasing hormones which heighten our senses and metabolic rate ('fright or flight' responses). It can help us achieve our goals. Stress is essential. But when it becomes too much or is not coped with, that is when it can become detrimental. Other hormones, like cortisol, are excessively released and that can cause detrimental effects on the body.
Cortisol counteracts the effects of growth hormone (GH) and testosterone (T) in the body. Both GH and T have been shown to be associated with increased fat burning and decreased abdominal fat, whereas cortisol has the opposite effects, increasing fat deposits around the midsection of the body.

How Do You Know When You Are Too Stressed
If you suffer from any of the follow, then it is likely that your stress levels are excessive:

• lack of appetite
• food cravings when under pressure
• indigestion and heart burn
• poor sleep pattern
• irritability with people
• indecisiveness
• loss of sense of humour
• simmering anger
• poor concentration
• feeling unable to cope
• switching to new tasks when the previous one has not been completed
• no interest in activities outside of work

Coping With Stress
There are 3 main ways you can cope with stress, by addressing the following areas

1. Environment
This area is based around changing the circumstances and events in your life that causes you stress. There are several things you can do to change your environment to limit stress.

• identify the stress and, if you can, remove or reduce it
• spend more time doing the things you enjoy
• identify what is preventing you enjoying the things you do
• improve time management - diarise everything and write lists
• only allow yourself to work a certain number of hours
• surround yourself with positive and supportive people - avoid stressful relationships
• take a 5 minute break every hour at work, 55/5 rule.

2. Perception

This is when you create stress for yourself by 'dwelling' on things or assuming things are stressful. There is often at least two ways of looking at something. Try to maintain a positive outlook.
If you suffer from any of the follow, you are likely to see situations as stressful when they may not in reality be so

• Perfectionism
• Desire to please others
• Insecurity
• Fear of failure
• Lack of flexibility
• Negativity
• Need for control
• Unable to ask for help
• Fierely independent

Some self-reflection may help you not to perceive events around you as stressful. Try asking these questions;

• Is what you dealing with really that important?
• Live in the present, not the future. Are things that bad today?
• What is it that I am stressing about? Why? Is it that bad?
• What good may come out of this situation?
• What is one way I could reduce the stress in this situation?
• Who can I talk to about this? Friends, partner, colleagues, boss, spiritual leader, shrink?
• Is there anything positive about this situation? Could I make it more so?
• What other coping strategies could I try?

3. Physical Resistance

There are two components to this area: releasing stress and increasing relaxation.
Releasing Stress

Exercise! Preferably after the stess, i.e. after work. It clear the stress hormones: adrenaline and noradrenaline. But not for too long. Exceeding an hour of medium to high intensity exercise will release more cortisol which will be counter-productive. As Matt Kay recommended, try intervals when doing cardio, or do weights, or punch a bag or pads in spurts.
Increasing Relaxation

Improving your nutrition is a great start to helping you be more relaxed. Try:

• Make sure you have a decent breakfast with wholegrains and protein (oats, egg whites, etc)
• Eat some regular meals throughout the day
• Take a lunch break, do not eat at your desk or 'on the fly'
• Avoid sugars and refined carbohydrates (white pasta, bread, rice, etc)
• Try to avoid caffeine and stimulants
• Eats lots of fruit and vegetables
• Drink lots of water - dehydration of only 3% can increase your sense of effort by 70%.

You could also try the following relaxation strategies

• Meditate or just sit quietly for a few minutes, visualising non-stressful situations
• Listen to music, read enjoyable books and do not watch TV just for the sake of it
• Conduct deep breathing at least once per day
• Enjoy a long bath or shower... with a partner? ;-)

What If You Can Not Avoid Stress?
Nutrition is something that most people can attempt to alter to help them cope with stressors. However there are some supplements that can help you deal with stress and try to regulate your stress hormone (adrenaline. noradrenalin, cortisol) outputs.
Siberian Ginseng
Siberian Ginseng is an adaptogen. An adaptogen is a natural herb product that increases the body's resistance to stress, trauma and fatigue.
Ginseng's name comes from the Chinese jen shen, which means ‘man root’, so-named because some roots have limb-like branches resembling arms and legs.
Nutri-Calm
During stress, your body becomes depleted in Vitamin Bs and c. This supplement contains a mixture of B-complex vitamins and vitamin C, plus camomille and anti-oxidants to calm you down and prevent damage from free-radicals which are produced during stress.
Hops and Valerian Root
Hops and Valerian Root are excellent herbs to help relax you and help you sleep. This supplement can also be taken by those who suffer from any phobias, eg. fear of flying, to help calm them before and during the activity.
Perilla & Cyperus Combination
This is another supplement based on Eastern herbs to help with coping with stress. Perilla is also helpful in the relief and prevention of seasonal allergies and hayfever.

Excellent advice from the English Institute of Sport on Nutrition and Supplementation for Injury Recovery

The following is an article published by the English Institite of Sport (EIS) on nutrition and supplementation for recovery from injury

When injured, athletes face the battle of rehabilitation in the gym and physio room, however what they also choose to eat plays a vital role in their recovery.
Whilst appropriate nutrition won’t cut rehabilitation from weeks to days, if used effectively it can ensure that the healing process is optimal and can help athletes make a strong return.
English Institute of Sport (EIS) Performance Nutritionist Bronwen Lundy works with the British Olympic Association’s Intensive Rehabilitation Unit as their nutrition
specialist and says that views on nutrition injury have developed in recent
years.
“Traditionally, the first thing that would spring to mind when an athlete was injured was how to ensure they maintained their weight whilst training was reduced. We now know a lot more about the recovery process and the focus has shifted to the specific areas where nutrition can speed recovery up. So, whilst weight management is still on the list, it’s not the sole focus.”
EIS Performance Nutritionist Alex Popple explains just how specific areas of nutrition can support recovery. “Quick recovery from soft tissue damage, such as muscle tears and traumas, could require an increased protein intake, specifically the protein amino acid leucine, to support new cell growth and repair” he says.
“Key micronutrients such as zinc, iron and magnesium are also important for the healing process and formation of new cells. Such micronutrient and protein demands can be met by adding red meat, milk, shellfish, eggs, nuts and seeds to your daily diet” he adds.
For bone strength and maintenance, Popple advises that increasing vitamin D and calcium intake may be helpful to making a return to form.
“For some athletes, some sun exposure will be enough to top up vitamin D stores, especially in winter; otherwise they may seek supplementation, as advised by their GP. As for calcium, having at least 3 servings of low-fat dairy products per day, for example milk, yoghurt and cheese, will help keep calcium intake up.”
When it comes to recovering from joint issues, Popple advises a combination of sources. “Some arthritic conditions, tendonitis and joint injuries may benefit from a glucosamine sulphate supplement. This is a vital component used in the formation of the connective tissues around joints; cartilage, tendons and ligaments. Adding an appropriate source during recovery from such conditions or even during hard training could help reduce joint pain and maintain flexibility of the joint. “Reducing inflammation during injury needs careful consideration; inflammation is a sign of damage and taking an anti-inflammatory to continue competing or training might not be the answer. Omega 3s, such as EPA and ALA, are a natural anti-inflammatory and can help prevent those achy knees! Olive oils, nuts and oily fish (such as salmon, tuna and mackerel) are the best sources. Omega 3 oils are encouraged as part of a normal healthy diet to reduce the risk of heart disease, so this is an added benefit” he adds.
The type of injury will dictate the nutritional recommendations that are provided to support recovery and it is advised to liaise with a professional for specific requirements. Some supplements may need to be avoided during injury and early in rehabilitation, particularly if surgery is needed. Always check with your GP, sports nutritionist or specialist.

You Won't Build Your Perfect House If You Can't Unwrap The Materials

I recently read a great analogy for digestion and macronutrient absorption. Picture this! You are renovating your home. Trying to build the house you’ve always wanted. You will need to demolish the existing structures to make room for the newer, better parts you intend to build. After the demolition work, you will have carefully selected exactly what building materials you need for the renovations and had them delivered.
The building materials will have arrived in wrapped pallets. But what if you do not have a Stanley knife or any tool that allows you to remove the wrapping? All you will have managed to do is demolish parts of your home but not be able to rebuild and have your dream house.

When you train, you breakdown muscle and energy sources and replenish them when we consume the right foods. You may be eating lean, organic meat, oily fish, colourful fruit and vegetables and supplementing correctly, but that is a waste of time if you can not ‘unwrap’ them.
The ‘unwrapping’ is done by your digestive system. In your gastrointestinal (GI) tract, there are digestive enzymes that breakdown specific foods into their building blocks, which we use to remodel the house you live in, i.e. your body.
In an ideal world, you get your digestive enzymes from two sources: endogenous construction (produced by your body) and exogenous deliver (from our food). The body’s production reduces with age, as well as when you consume refined foods, alcohol or by simply eating too fast. Cooking food also destroys the naturally occurring enzymes found predominantly in vegetables.
So, you should eat a diet full of raw, whole foods, especially vegetables, as advocated by diets like the Paleo or Primal BluePrint. However that would involve not eating out and controlling what your friends and family feed you. This is somewhat impractical for most of us. I would recommend everyone supplement with highly specialised dietary enzymes, like those found in Proactazyme.

How To Supplement
Most enzyme supplements contain animal derived (pancreatic) enzymes which, though helpful, are dependent upon the acidity of the GI tract for activation. The GI tract has differing pH along the canal thus animal enzymes are a less than absolute solution can be especially ineffective in people with decreased stomach acid production, like those on anti-indigestion medication.
Plant sourced enzymes have been found to be up to 12.5 times more powerful than pancreatic sourced enzyme formulae. They are acid-stable, working over a broader spectrum of pH values.
In addition, Proactazyme has the bonus of helping with the digestion of a wider range of foods. Whilst most animal enzymes contain a protease (protein digestion), amylase (carbohydrate digestion at pH neutral) and lipase (fat digestion), Proactazyme has all those, in addition to glucoamylase for carbohydrate digestion at pH = 3, pectinase for pectin (found in plant cell walls) and cellulase for plant fiber.
If you suffer from any of the following, it is likely that your digestive enzymes are not working and you are not breaking your food down properly

1. Bad breath, body odour, smelly feet
2. Difficulty digesting food, so avoid certain food
3. Food allergies
4. Indigestion, wind, heart burn or bloating

Proactazyme is easy to use. Just take one or two tablets before eating, at least three times per day. The added bonus is that enzymes do not trigger a negative feedback, so your body will not decrease its endogenous production. That is why everyone should take Proactazyme, regardless of whether you have any of the above symptoms list above. That way, you will be ensured to have the building materials available when you need them.

I hold these truths to be self-evident, that NOT all supplements are created equal

A lot of people are supplementing their diet these days, either because they know why we need to supplement or they are blindly taking the latest fad pill.  Either way, you need to know that what you are taking is actually giving you the nutrients that you seek, and that comes down to one word: quality.  Quality ingredients and quality manufacturing processes.
For some products, you can save and skimp on quality.  For example, you could buy a cheap mp3 player.  It won't have all the cool features, will have less storage space, run slower and probably fall apart or stop working sooner than the more expensive versions.  But initially, the function will be the same.  You will be able to listen to your music files.
With nutrition, it is a whole other story.  If your products are made from low quality ingredients or produced through less than the best quality procedures, they will not work at all.  Then you will literally be pissing your money down the drain.
The supplements industry is not regulated like the food and drug industry.  If you buy an over the counter pain killer, like paracetamol or ibuprofen, in the name brand and the generic brand, the active ingredients are going to be the same.
An interesting example, given in a recent blog, is Black Cohosh, an excellent supplement for menopausal women.  The article highlighted that though the label might say black cohosh, it might not be the right genus nor extracted from the root instead of the leaves nor standardised for triterpene glycosides (the key active constituent).  Studies have only been done on the former of all these conditions.  Natures Sunshine Black Cohosh products (both with Licorice Combination and with Dong Quai) fulfill all these standards. 
Another consideration when it comes to quality must be what is in the bottle, as well as the active ingredient that it states on the label.  This means that there should not be a heap of garbage and filler in the product.  A lot of supplements on the market are synthetic and filled with sugar and other starchy fillers.
The product should also only contain what it is suppose to and no other active ingredients- some 'herbal' formulas were recently found in North America to contain pharmaceutical drugs!
Also, is there the correct ingredients in the product to facilitate the active ingredient working.  For example, some calcium supplements may contain just pure calcium carbonate, but the body needs both calcium and magnesium along with Vitamin D and other minerals to build bones.  Pure calcium carbonate will only succeed in neutralising your stomach acid, leading to reduced absorption of other nutrients and digestive problems.

So, unlike people, not all supplements were created equal.  That is why I recommend Natures Sunshineproducts.  They use over 300 tests and procedures to ensure the premium quality of their products and are backed by a 100 percent premium quality guarantee.  They test for purity and potency of ingredients and finished products are also tested to assure that all label claims are met.  Raw materials, including herbs, are tested for unwanted contamination such as arsenic, lead, aluminum and cadmium, as well as bacterial infestation.

General Natural Support for Menopausal Women

If you read my last blog and want some extra support with your peri-menopause, during menopause and post-menopause, the following herbs can help:

• Skeletal Strength is a comprehensive supplement which provides Calcium, Magnesium and Vitamin D which supports bone health and prevents osteoporosis.
• Black Cohosh & Licorice Combination is designed to nourish the adrenal glands and support the glandular system.Black Cohosh with Dong Quai. Widely known for its ability to help support the mature woman’s body as she encounters normal glandular imbalances and physical changes. Particularly good at controlling hot flushes.
• Flaxseed Oil provides support to the cadiovascular and glandular systems.
• Nutri-Calm. Almost everyone should be taking this.  Full of Vitamin Bs and C to feed the nervous system and help de-stress you.
• Phyto-Soy. Evidence continues to mount supporting the benefits of high levels of genistein, a particular isoflavonoid in soy that helps protect the body. Soy can help regulate the levels of oestrogen in your body.

Great Advice For Post Menopausal Woman

I recently read a great interview between Tom Venuto and David Grisaffi.  David had some particularly great advice for post-menopausal women:

• 
  

  Focus on health, especially heart health, and the fat will come off.

  
  

  
  

  Get you blood work done and know your numbers.

  
  

  • Be advised that a Statin drug causes a dramatic decrease in Co Enzyme Q 10 or CoQ10. This naturally occurring antioxidant is needed for cellular energy in the heart and brain.

  
  

  Exercise is a great way to deal with menopause. It increases the blood flow in and around the heart. Walk if you can’t do anything else.

  
  

  
  

  Monitor blood sugar. When that is too high, it oxidizes in your blood vessels. With high blood sugar, increased insulin is released to normalize your blood sugar and that takes the extra sugar to FAT STORES.

  
  

  
  

  All chronic diseases are associated with insulin dysfunction and glycemic stress? The cluster of symptoms is known as Syndrome X and on your road to syndrome X you may also experience problems with nighttime eating, insomnia, fluid retention, aches and pains, PMS, and much more. When you have syndrome X, your risk for heart disease, diabetes, breast cancer, hypertension obesity, high cholesterol, and lack of ovulation all go up quickly.

  
  

  
  

  Excess body fat also produces it own chemicals that contribute to heart disease. Balancing your hormones in middle age is easier than you think.

  
  

  
  

  Most problems can be managed with proper diet and exercise.

  
  

Fat Loss Don’ts: Skipping Meals and Starvation

A good summary of some of my previous blogs/post, and some supplement recommedations for those who's goal is Fat Loss

Fat Loss Don’ts: Skipping Meals and Starvation

Food Allergy Protection

Food allergies can be defined as an antibody (immune system) response to a food antigen (irritant) leading to symptoms. That is, the immune system attacks food as if it was a foreign invader. Allergy symptoms can range in severity from barely perceptible to life-threatening depending on how the immune system reacts.



To protect the body against the irritating nature of food, the alimentary canal lining must be not damaged to allow digestion and absorption. If food is not broken down correctly, large particles of food can be interpreted by the body as foreign invaders.


The digestive tract is the barrier that blocks these particles from entering into the blood so it must be healthy (i.e. no holes or leaks).

Certain foods are more irritating than others hence why more people are allergic to these than others, eg. peanuts, shellfish, strawberries, chocolate, wheat, eggs and dairy.

To help prevent food allergies, you need to firstly break down your food correctly and secondly have an intact digestive tract.

The follow protocol of supplements can help you achieve both these goals:-

• Food enzymes which break down food compounds for assimilation into the bloodstream. Proactazynme is a fantastic general purpose enzyme supplement from plant sources containing, protease, amylase, glucoamylase, lipase, pectinase and cellulase. It helps the body digest all food types and helps break down difficult to digest foods.
• Bowel Build contains betaine HCl, pepsin and pancreatin to help break down food particles; psyllium hulls, kelp plant and chlorophyll to provide needed bulk, encourage proper flow of waste and detoxify the digestive system; vitamin A (beta-carotene), vitamin C and vitamin E (d-alpha tocopherol), zinc (gluconate) and selenium (amino acid chelate) to provide anti-oxidants and to help the production of antibodies; marshmallow root and parthenium root to soothe the mucosal tissue and help create sufficient mucus as a protective barrier; and ginger root serves as an anti-inflammatory. See your health care provider prior to use if you are pregnant or nursing. May cause a reaction in persons allergic to inhaled or ingested psyllium.
• Marshmallow & Chamomile Combination contains both marshmallow root and slippery elm which nourishes the mucosal tissue allowing the lower bowl to function properly.
• Una De Gato (Cat's Claw) is considered equal, if not superior, to the world’s foremost immune fortifying herbs, echinacea, golden seal, pau d’arco, garlic and siberian ginseng, as well as helping mucous production in the digestive tract.

The above protcol will help you digest all your food and prevent allergic reactions.

'15 Foods That Will Help You Lose Belly Fat'... my comments

There has been a lot of promotion online, by nutritionist and personal trainers like Joel Marion, Craig Ballantyne and Jesse Cannone, of Josh Bezoni's '15 Foods That Kill Belly Fat Fast' report.  I have reproduced the list here and added my own comments.  I agree with a lot of what he has to say...  

15 Foods That Kill Belly Fat Fast

1. Avocados: These little suckers are loaded with two nutrients that are KEY to killing belly fat: hunger-crushing fiber (11 to 17 grams per avocado!), and monounsaturated fats, which studies have shown to actually “spot reduce” belly fat. Zowie!

2. Peanut Butter: Okay, not just peanut butter, but mostly any seeds and nuts (these are the best): pistachios, walnuts, almonds (or almond butter), pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and flax seeds. Why? They keep you full and satisfied for long periods of time, and they’re stuffed with healthy, belly-burning fats and minerals.

3. Crisco: KIDDING! Just seeing if you were paying attention. That stuff is deadly. Healthy oils like olive oil, coconut oil and brand names like Udo’s Oil and Barlean’s Oil (I like the swirl flavors) actually help you burn fat by supplying healthy oils your body needs to burn body blubber.

 These first three points all relate to 'good' fats.  I am a huge fan of omega 3 fatty essential fatty acids! If you haven't already read it (or if you have), click now on this link to read the blog I wrote in the last year on how amazing these are for your health. The most important point in relation to this subject, omega 3s increases metabolic rate and leads to a reduction in fat mass and increases in lean mass!

4. These Veggies: I’ve got to thank my buddy Mike Geary for this one. Turns out certain vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, kale, and cabbage contain special phytonutrients, such as indole-3-carbinol (I3C), which help to fight against environmental estrogens that can add belly fat. Mom was right…eat your veggies!

My clients who have received and read my guides to eating for weight loss will know that I endorse eating unrestricted amounts of certain vegetables, including the ones mentioned above, even when on a fat loss programme.

5. Omelets: Eggs aren’t bad, they’re nutrient-dense and loaded with belly-burning protein, vitamins B6, B12, A, D, E, and K, folate, choline, lutein, calcium, iron, phosphorus, zinc, and omega-3 fatty acids. Plus, they keep you full for long periods of time. Choose eggs that come from free-range chickens. You’ll get more healthy nutrients.

I am a big fan of eggs.  I carry hard boiled eggs around with me to snack on every day I'm at work. Another big fan is is certified nutritionist and personal trainer, Mike Geary.  Read his blog on eggs here. 
I advovate a version of the Poliquin 'Meat and Nut Breakfast'. I am not as hardline as Monsieur Poliquin.  What my rules basically boil down to are eating a no carb, high protein, high essential fat breakfast.  Recently this has, for me, meant having a four white and two yolk omlette for breakfast, with half an avocado (See no. 1) 

6. Dark Chocolate: That is not a typo. Dark chocolate is loaded with antioxidants (nearly eight times the number found in strawberries) and it contains stimulants that can have a positive effect on fat burning, including theobromine and caffeine. It also contains a nice dose of oleic acid, which is a monounsaturated fat. Make sure to choose the 78% or higher cocoa levels for best results.
Most of my clients and, certainly, my fiancee know that I love dark chocolate! 

7. Oatmeal: Packed with fiber and whole-grain goodness, you can’t go wrong. Just be sure to avoid the processed, high-sugar junk out there and stick to slow-cook oats. Add a dash of cinnamon, some walnuts, berries, and a natural sweetener to taste. BAM! Good stuff.
Just not first thing in the morning. Have the protein and fat breakfast then this mid-morning.

8. Green Tea: Not only does it contain a potent antioxidant, many scientific studies have linked green tea to increased fat burning, including a report in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition that found green tea extract boosted the daytime metabolism of test subjects by 35- 43%.

9. Beans: Black beans, navy beans, refried beans, and lima beans all have 6 or more grams of fiber per ½ cup. Fiber can clean your system of pounds of “toxic waste” and reduce your belly bulge in a big way. (See “Sneaky Trick #5” for details.)

10. Berries: Strawberries, raspberries and blackberries are loaded with fiber (which slows sugar absorption), and they’re packed with vitamins that can fight cravings (cravings can come from vitamin deficiencies).

11. Cinnamon: Researchers have found that cinnamon contains a type of antioxidant that increases insulin sensitivity and effectively helps to stabilize blood sugar. Bottom line…you’ll store less belly fat.

I add Chinese 5 Spice to my omlette in the morning and pure cinnamon powder to my after workout shake for this very reason.

12. Chilli Peppers: Studies have shown that the active ingredient in chili peppers and powder, something called capsaicin, increases calorie-burning, stabilizes blood sugar levels (which decreases fat storage), and is a potent antioxidant. Add some of this “spice” to your life.

13. Yogurt: Most regular yogurt is bad for your belly. It’s loaded with belly-bulging sugar (real or artificial) that you want to avoid it. However, Greek yogurts like Stoneyfield Farms Oikos Greek Yogurt (plain) are loaded with probiotics that fight belly bulge. (See “Sneaky Trick #6.”)

14. Wild Salmon: Hands-down one of the best belly-blasting foods because of its protein and high omega-3 fatty acid content. This is like a “double shotgun approach” to killing belly fat. Many people are deficient in omega-3s and when they add them to their diet the fat can really start coming off.

15. Giant Turkey Legs: You got me. I’m pulling your leg. (Get it?) I’m not just talking about turkey meat (white preferred), but any lean protein source is a good belly-blasting food. This includes wild salmon, free-range chicken, whey protein powders, and most especially grass-fed beef because it contains natural CLA—a fat that studies have actually shown to burn fat. The interesting thing about protein is your body will burn off as much as 30% of its calories after you eat it.

There you go!  That is my take on Josh Bezoni's '15 Foods That Kill Belly Fat Fast' report. Pretty spot on if you ask me!

Reducing fat deposits on the hips and butt in women

I was reading an article recently by Charles Poliquin on disruptions in the female endocrine system and how it can cause fat accumulation on the butt and thighs.  Given that losing subcutaneous fat off that region is one of the primary goals of most women, I thought I might share the following extract from the article...

improper levels of the right elements in the gut flora can impact the amount of fat on your legs. Let me explain. One of the ways the body excretes the bad types of endogenous estrogens, and xeno-estrogens is through a process called glucuronidation. In this chemical process, there is binding of the given estrogen to glucuronic acid via a glycosidic bond. The human body also uses this detoxification process to excrete a large variety of molecules, including many pollutants and pharmaceuticals to name a few. The problem is that when you have bad gut flora there is an abundance of this enzyme called Beta-glucuronidase. This enzyme has the nasty habit of breaking the bond between the nasty estrogen and its escort the glucuronic acid, which means that the bad estrogen goes back into circulation. When the gut flora is optimal, the activity of the beta-glucuronidase diminishes.

Now, why do you get poor gut flora? Oral contraceptives use, frequent antibiotic use, intestinal pathogens, stress and a host of other factors can be blamed. The point being: bad gut flora can lead to fat legs.

You don't have to understand all the biochemistry, just the take home point at the end.  Given that a lot of women, particularly young, career focussed women, take the pill, get sick a lot and take antibiotics, suffer from stomach issues and are highly stressed, they may want to start supplementing with good bacteria.
As stated previously, I recommend Natures Sunshine health supplements.  Here is the link for their Bifidophilus product.http://naturessunshine.eu/uk/optimiseperformanceandwellbeing/index.asp?act=moreinfo&id=103&subcat=

I would also recommend that everyone but particularly women that fit this description, take the Healthy Lifestyle Analysis on the website.  I'm fairly certain these women will come out needing the Nutri-Calm stress relief product.

Great Interview with clinical nutritionist, Dr Rakowski

I originally posted this post on my Strength and Conditioning blog but it is just as relevant, if not more so, within this blog...

"I read this interview a while back now and thought to share some extracts from it but it slipped my mind.  I just rediscovered it so I thought I'd finally get around to sharing.

Firstly, Dr Rakowski is the clinic director of the Natural Medicine Center in Houston, Texas, and his patient base includes professional athletes, healthy people wanting to improve their quality of life, and critically ill patients looking for new, natural treatments that offer hope.

Here are some of Dr Rakowski's answers to questions posed to him during a break in a nutritional seminar he was giving...

KG: What makes your seminars on nutrition different from others?
RR: I think that when others teach seminars on nutrition, they often get lost in the details – they don’t show the big picture. There’s a reason why nutrition works, and the reason is people are malnourished. The reason people are malnourished is we have depleted the soil over the past half century by using fertilizers that contain nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. It takes 17 elements to make a healthy plant, and we only put three back in. So what happens is this malnutrition in the plants becomes malnutrition in the animals and becomes malnutrition in humans.

KG: Are there additional problems with the pesticides we use?
RR: Here is the problem. When plants become progressively weak from being malnourished, they can’t defend themselves against bugs, so we give them pesticides. And we use a billon tons of pesticides – a billion tons! – in one country. Well, it takes a lot of energy in humans to detoxify; the food we are eating doesn’t have it, and the result is emotional and physical problems. But instead of looking at nutrition, our nation turns to drugs.

KG: The idea that all you need to do in regard to nutrition is to eat healthy is not true?
RR: It certainly won’t be sufficient for anyone who is doing something with their body other than sitting at a computer all day long. If you’re trying to compete on an elite level, the person who has the best nutrient status and the least amount of toxins is going to win, all things else being equal. I agree that we should get most of our nutrients from food. Taking supplements in the absence of a good diet is still a poor diet with supplements. What you want is a great diet, but even with that the literature suggests that a great diet is not sufficient to reestablish depleted systems – that a sick body can’t bounce back without supplementation.


KG: Isn’t it better to get nutrition from food sources whenever possible because supplements are not as readily absorbed by the body?
RR: Are there differences in the absorption of supplements? Absolutely. But you take any mineral out there, the body absorbs minerals better with certain amino acids attached to them. It’s like the fast pass through the expressway. You get a mineral tied to the amino acid and you’ll absorb it better. Certain amino acids tend to target certain cell types in the body more effectively.

KG: There is so much information available about nutrition. Do you believe that people now are more knowledgeable about nutrition?
RR: It’s very chic to know about nutrition. The nutrition market is exploding, but where there is opportunity, there will be opportunists. With increasing nutrition knowledge, we have advanced nutrition science, high-level manufacturing with quality assurance, and good products that are helping sick people get better faster. But the opportunists will make big bucks by putting a label on supplements that look good but are pure garbage because they are barely absorbed.

KG: The International Olympic Committee reported that over 14.8 percent of the 634 nutritional supplements they tested from 215 different suppliers were tainted with substances that would show up on a drug test. Does this surprise you?
RR: I’m surprised that number is not much higher. There is a group called Consumer Labs that went to health food stores and found that half the stuff sold didn’t have what the label claimed and a high portion was tainted.

RR: They must do their due diligence and find the good suppliers. The baseline certification is called GMP certification, good manufacturing practices. There are several organizations that do this type of testing.

KG: For the average person, is there any specific book on nutrition you would recommend?
RR: You don’t need a book. Jack LaLanne said it best, “If God made it, it’s OK. If man made it, don’t touch it. Now what food isn’t tainted? Almost none, so you have to go with whole, organic produce, grass-fed beef and free-range chickens.


KG: What are the basic supplements the average person needs?
RR: Everyone needs a multivitamin, plant nutrients and omega 3's.  You need a multivitamin, because you are not getting enough of these nutrients from food. And omega-3s, because our food supply is deficient in omega-3s and can reduce heart attacks, strokes and cancer by 13 different mechanisms.  New data suggests that it may take as many as 13 servings of fruits and vegetables to prevent cancer.  Almost no person ingests this amount. 

KG: Why is Oprah fat?
RR: Why is everyone else fat? Stress…toxins…malnutrition. I guarantee you, you give me Oprah and let me completely control her diet and exercise for a year and she’ll be a different Oprah. I wish that Oprah would recognize that her acceptance of obesity has the potential to jeopardize the health of our country and world.

KG: Do you like the work Arnold Schwarzenegger is doing promoting good health in this country?
RR: It’s funny. One politician wanted to make Arnold the head of health in this country. Have you seen a picture of Arnold lately? There’s a phrase, “A true master is always on top of his game.” Arnold has man boobs right now, and I would challenge him to get rid of them, because he can. But he’s leading the political life – he even has a cigar smoking area. Pathetic.

KG: What do you think about asking your doctor for advice on nutrition?
RR: What do MOST MDs know about nutrition? MOST don’t study it. What do MOST know about exercise? “Go for a walk”? This is not where we need to be.

Dr Rakowski has highlighted several of the reason that I advocate supplementation and distribute Nature's Sunshine products.  They are 'the highest quality Herbal, Vitamin, Mineral and Nutritional supplements worldwide'. They use over 300 tests and procedures to ensure the premium quality of their products and are backed by a 100 percent premium quality guarantee.  They test for purity and potency of ingredients and finished products are also tested to assure that all label claims are met.  Raw materials, including herbs, are tested for unwanted contamination such as arsenic, lead, aluminum and cadmium, as well as bacterial infestation.
All their products are organically grown, not synthetic, and most of them are chelated, which means bound to a specific amino acid, so they act like real food and are readily absorbed by the body thus effective!

 I, like the good doctor, recommend that everyone take the Daily Essentials of a Super Supplemental Vitamins and Minerals and Omega 3 Essential Fatty Acids, as well as Food Enzymes to help breakdown the food they eat, so that all the nutrients can be absorbed.  I also recommend that each of my clients complete the Healthy Starter pack protocol, at the start of any new exercise and nutrition lifestyle, and at regular intervals, to clease the body of toxins and cellualr waste. 

As the doctor points out, 'a great diet is not sufficient to reestablish depleted systems – that a sick body can’t bounce back without supplementation'.  That is why Nature's Sunshine has developed the Healthy Lifestyle Analysis and Body Systems products.  The questionaire can determine which of your body systems are deficient and recommend a specific product to rebuild that system."