11 Reasons You Should Detox & 12 Ways to Make it a Habit

March 11 2013 | Cleansing/Detox | Digestive Health | Intestinal System
Death begins in the colon." Different sources attribute this quote to The Royal Society of Medicine of Great Britain, Dr. Bernard Jensen and to Elie Metchnikoff, a Russian Nobel Prize-winning biologist.
No matter who said or penned it first, it seems sensible that the organ that houses the body’s waste and toxins for elimination is the same place where adverse health conditions would originate, and, consequently, health should flourish when proper care of this organ is given.

Cleansing

Most of us wash our hands many times a day to remove dirt, food residue and potential bacteria. We soap and scrub our bodies regularly to remove dead skin cells, sweat, bacteria and dirt. It only makes sense to clean the inside of our bodies periodically to help remove unprocessed food material, fiber, environmental pollutants and other debris, and to expel these same items that may be stashed in cells throughout the body. This can be achieved using herbs and nutrients that strengthen the body’s regular cleansing processes and help remove or neutralize toxins. Go here to see a list of Nature's Sunshine cleanses and detox products.

Why Cleanse?

Just as cleaning your body’s exterior has many benefits (fresher looking skin, removing bacteria, improving your scent), cleansing and detoxifying the body on a consistent basis offers many health benefits. These include:

• Helps remove waste/debris and toxic chemicals (preservatives, artificial colors, pesticides, herbicides, etc.) from the colon and other body cells:
• Improves digestion (removal of putrid material associated with gas, body odor, etc.)
• Helps tune up the intestinal system, which has a tendency to get sluggish without proper fiber and water
• Typically increases energy levels and promotes a feeling of well-being
• May increase nutrient absorption
• May increase efficiency of body systems and functions

How Toxic is Your Little Corner of the World?

You don’t have to live in a concrete metropolis to be surrounded by pollutants. Consider these sources of toxic chemicals and fumes, and steer clear where you can.

• Household products, including cleansers, bleaches, ammonia cleaners, and “air fresheners” that contain powerful chemicals. 
• Personal care products often contain unsafe compounds. These include some lotions, make-up, nail polish, shampoo, deodorant, mouthwash, hair spray, etc.
  [Nature's Sunshine do a line of Personal Care products that are all natural]
• Your lawn. Putting pesticides or herbicides on your lawn can make it healthier and nicer-looking. But the treatments that kill bugs and weeds can harm your cells too. 
• Your work environment. This can include fumes from gasoline, diesel fuel, paint, thinners, industrial cleaners and such, along with seemingly harmless gases from new carpeting, furniture, etc. 
• Xenoestrogens. These chemicals mimic estrogen in the body and can throw hormone levels out of balance. They are found in plastic packaging, Styrofoam, some cleaning products and lawn treatments, cosmetics, meat, etc.

To Maintain a Toxin-Free Body, Try to Avoid These:

• Artificial chemicals, including colorings, flavorings and preservatives 
• Medicines such as hormones, acid blockers and antibiotics 
• Polluted environments (air, water, strong chemicals and fumes, etc.)

Did You Know? During active weight loss is an ideal time to cleanse and detoxify. As your body burns up fat, it releases more stored toxins, which need to be removed before they get back into your bloodstream.

The Do's and Dont's of "Detox" Eating

Research shows that certain foods, nutrients and habits can greatly aid the body’s normal detoxification processes. Consider adding the following to your grocery/supplement list and start some new, clean-eating habits.

• Fresh vegetables, including broccoli, cabbage, kale, onions, garlic, tomatoes, celery, cilantro, artichokes and olives
   
• Fresh fruits, including pomegranate, papaya, berries, grapes, watermelon and cherries 
• Nuts and legumes 
• Whole grains (plenty of fiber in general) 
• Lean meats and eggs 
• Herbs and spices, including dandelion, burdock, green tea, rosemary, grape seeds, turmeric, licorice root, fenugreek, slippery elm and kelp. Note: mucilaginous herbs may help carry toxins out of the body.
  
• Probiotics. When waste sits in the colon too long, levels of bad bacteria can escalate. Bacteria continue to work on waste matter, creating toxins that may leak through the colon wall and into the bloodstream. Probiotics (friendly bacteria) help rebalance ratios of good bacteria to bad in the colon. They also support digestion and the assimilation of some minerals.
  
• Other nutrients: aloe, antioxidants and B vitamins&
  
• Plenty of water 

Cleansing/detoxifying your body two to four times a year should spell excellent news for your intestinal system and promote good health, energy and focus. Show your colon some love, and it will love you right back.

Sources: Detoxification 101 by Dr. Hugo Rodier, Sunshine Horizons, Jan. 2008. The Textbook of Functional Medicine 2005, 2006, The Institute for Functional Medicine

Healthy Starter Programme

This highly effective cleanse is designed to be taken alongside a normal healthy diet. Results will be enhanced if you omit red meat, caffeine and alcohol from your diet during the programme. Drink pleny of water whilst using the programme. The Healthy Starter Programme includes;                 

HEALTHY STARTER PACK+
A powerful and effective ten day course of five cleansing herbal products which collectively help cleanse the whole body of cellular waste.

LIQUID CHLOROPHYLL
A great tasting ‘minty drink’ you  can  enjoy throughout the day. Add Liquid Chlorophyll to water for a great tasting drink that leaves the breath minty fresh, and is a valued addition to your cleanse programme.

PROBIOTIC ELEVEN
A high potency, multi strain probiotic supplement which provides almost 12 billion bacteria per serving. The eleven strains of bacteria in Probiotic Eleven ensure you replenish your gut with a variety of beneficial flora, and each capsule contains a built-in prebiotic to nourish and spread the bacteria throughout the gut.

The amazing (and somewhat unknown) benefits of fruit

 

Did NOT know about the citruline! Hmm... of course, I don't need it but...

I eat healthy...

 

Why do YOU eat healthy? Answers in the comments section please

Is Your Belly Infested With Toxic Bugs?

Within your gut reside roughly 100 TRILLION living bacteria and maintaining the ideal ratio of “good bacteria” (known as probiotics) to “bad bacteria” is now gaining recognition as perhaps the single most important step you can take to protect your health and further along your fat loss goals.

With specific regard to fat loss, while the ideal healthy ratio of “good” to “bad” bacteria in your gut is 9 to 1, virtually every study performed on the obese population analyzing gut bacteria found higher instances of “bad” bacteria and lower levels of “good” bacteria within these individuals. That's a far cry from the ideal 9 to 1 ratio and you can bet it's DEFINITELY a big reason why these folks are overweight and struggling to lose their stubborn belly flab.

That said, correcting this imbalance can have an IMMEDIATE waist-slimming effect as a recent double-blind study published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that test subjects who took active measures to re-balance their gut bacteria ratio were able to reduce their abdominal fat by nearly 5 percent, while the “control” group experienced no positive changes in body fat levels at all.

So what exactly CAN you do to re-balance your gut bacteria ratio and begin experiencing these belly-flattening benefits for yourself?

With research suggesting that probiotic supplementation is even more important to your health than taking a daily multi-vitamin, and the fact that inadequate probiotic levels have been linked through research to more than 170 different diseases and health issues, including obesity and weight gain, we truly believe that EVERYONE should be taking a probiotic daily, ongoing, to continually fight against the bacteria-imbalancing factors that we are constantly exposed to every single day.
We recommend Probiotic Eleven.
 
 
Q:  What specifically makes Probiotic Eleven the best probiotic supplement in the industry?
A: A high potency, multi strain probiotic supplement that provides almost 12 billion bacteria per serving. The eleven strains of bacteria in Probiotic Eleven ensure you replenish your gut with a variety of beneficial flora.  Each capsule contains a built-in prebiotic to nourish and spread the bacteria throughout the gut. Lactobacillus strains release unique enzymes which help to break down larger milk proteins for absorption.  Contain Bifidobacterium strains: longum, infantis and bifidum, which help to create B vitamins
With traditional probiotic products, 93% of the cells are DEAD and useless before ever reaching their final destination.
Simply put, dead probiotics don’t and can’t work, and as mentioned earlier, not only are these products a complete waste of your time and hard-earned money, but much more importantly they are robbing you of the critically important health benefits of probiotics while continuing to leave your body in an endangered state.
In addition to that, Probiotic Eleven:

• Is manufactured via a patented allergen-free process
• Is gluten-free and 100% All Natural
• Contains no artificial additives, colors, flavors, preservatives, or sweeteners

Q:  What are the ingredients and amounts used in the formula?

Q:  How do I use this product?
A:  Simply take one or two Probiotic Eleven capsules daily with meals, one capsule just prior to breakfast and one capsule before dinner.
Q:  Is it ok to take this supplement long term?
A:  Yes, absolutely, and that is what is recommended. As mentioned, research suggests that probiotic supplementation is even more important to your health than taking a daily multi-vitamin, and because inadequate probiotic levels have been linked through research to more than 170 different diseases and health issues, including obesity and weight gain, we truly believe that EVERYONE should be taking a probiotic daily, ongoing, to continually fight against the bacteria-imbalancing factors that we are constantly exposed to every single day.
Q:  If I have a medical condition, can I take this product?
A:  Probiotic Eleven is an all-natural formula that is considered safe and extremely effective for nearly everyone. However, if you take prescription medications or have a medical condition, we recommend that you show a bottle of Probiotic Eleven to your physician and/or pharmacist for proper approval.
Q:  How will this product be shipped to me and how quickly?
A:  We will ship your order directly to your home or office and you will have it within 1 to 3 business days.
Q:  Will anything else be sent to me, or billed to me, after I order?
A:  No. But if you want to make use of our auto-ship program, please indicate that when making your order.

Peer-Reviewed Research References

1. U.S. Department of Agriculture,  Office of Inspector General;  FSIS National Residue Program for Cattle, Audit Report 24601-08-KC, March 2010
2. W Kruis, G Forstmaier, C Scheurlen, F Stellaard. Effect of diets low and high in refined sugars on gut transit, bile acid metabolism, and bacterial fermentation; Gut, 1991, 32, 367-371
3. Steinhoff U (June 2005). "Who controls the crowd? New findings and old questions about the intestinal microflora". Immunol. Lett. 99 (1): 12–6.
4. Jean-Pierre Hugot. Inflammatory bowel disease: a complex group of genetic disorders; Best Practice & Research Clinical Gastroenterology, Volume 18, Issue 3 , Pages 451-462, June 2004
5. A Venket Rao, Alison C Bested, Tracey M Beaulne, Martin A Katzman, Christina Iorio5, John M Berardi6 and Alan C Logan. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot study of a probiotic in emotional symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome; Gut Pathogens 2009, 1:6
6. Huey-Shi Lye, Chiu-Yin Kuan, Joo-Ann Ewe, Wai-Yee Fung and Min-Tze Liong. The Improvement of Hypertension by Probiotics: Effects on Cholesterol, Diabetes, Renin, and Phytoestrogens; Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2009, 10, 3755-3775.
7. Gregory J. Leyer, PhDa, Shuguang Li, MSb, Mohamed E. Mubasher, PhDc, Cheryl Reifer, PhDd, Arthur C. Ouwehand, PhDe. Probiotic Effects on Cold and Influenza-Like Symptom Incidence and Duration in Children; Pediatrics 2009;124;e172.
8. Silvia Wilson Gratz, Hannu Mykkanen, and Hani S El-Nezami. Probiotics and gut health: A special focus on liver diseases; World J Gastroenterol. 2010 January 28; 16(4): 403–410.
9. Whitney P Bowe, Alan C Logan.  Acne vulgaris, probiotics and the gut-brain-skin axis - back to the future? Gut Pathogens 2011, 3:1.
10. Åsa Sullivan, Carl E Nord and Birgitta Evengård. Effect of supplement with lactic-acid producing bacteria on fatigue and physical activity in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome; Nutrition Journal 2009, 8:4.
11. Majamaa H, Isolauri E. Probiotics: a novel approach in the management of food allergy; J Allergy Clin Immunol. 1997 Feb;99(2):179-85.
12. Cani PD, Delzenne NM. Involvement of the gut microbiota in the development of low grade inflammation associated with obesity: focus on this neglected partner; Acta Gastroenterol Belg. 2010 Apr-Jun;73(2):267-9.
13. DiBaise JK, Zhang H, Crowell MD, Krajmalnik-Brown R, Decker GA, Rittmann BE. Gut microbiota and its possible relationship with obesity. Mayo Clin Proc. 2008 Apr;83(4):460-9.
14. Abou-Donia MB, El-Masry EM, Abdel-Rahman AA, McLendon RE, Schiffman SS. Splenda alters gut microflora and increases intestinal p-glycoprotein and cytochrome p-450 in male rats. J Toxicol Environ Health A. 2008;71(21):1415-29.
15. Kadooka Y, Sato M, Imaizumi K, Ogawa A, Ikuyama K, Akai Y, Okano M, Kagoshima M, Tsuchida T. Regulation of abdominal adiposity by probiotics (Lactobacillus gasseri SBT2055) in adults with obese tendencies in a randomized controlled trial; Eur J Clin Nutr. 2010 Jun;64(6):636-43.
16. Unpublished clinical study graphical data available upon request.
17. Del Piano M, Morelli L, Strozzi GP, Allesina S, Barba M, Deidda F, Lorenzini P, Ballaré M, Montino F, Orsello M, Sartori M, Garello E, Carmagnola S, Pagliarulo M, Capurso L. Probiotics: from research to consumer; Dig Liver Dis. 2006 Dec;38 Suppl 2:S248-55.
18. Islam, Mohammad Ariful, Cheol-Heui Yun, Yun-Jaie Choi, and Chong-Su Cho. Microencapsulation of Live Probiotic Bacteria; J. Microbiol. Biotechnol. (2010), 20(10), 1367–1377
19. Selvam R, Maheswari P, Kavitha P, Ravichandran M, Sas B, Ramchand CN. Effect of Bacillus subtilis PB6, a natural probiotic on colon mucosal inflammation and plasma cytokines levels in inflammatory bowel disease; Indian J Biochem Biophys. 2009 Feb;46(1):79-85.
20. Mayanagi G, Kimura M, Nakaya S, Hirata H, Sakamoto M, Benno Y, Shimauchi H. Probiotic effects of orally administered Lactobacillus salivarius WB21-containing tablets on periodontopathic bacteria: a double-blinded, placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trial; J Clin Periodontol. 2009 Jun;36(6):506-13. Epub 2009 Apr 22.
21. Iwamoto T, Suzuki N, Tanabe K, Takeshita T, Hirofuji T. Effects of probiotic Lactobacillus salivarius WB21 on halitosis and oral health: an open-label pilot trial; Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol Endod. 2010 Aug;110(2):201-8.
22. McFarland L, Bernasconi P (1993). Saccharomyces boulardii: a review of an innovative biotherapeutic agent;  Microbial Ecology in Health and Disease 6: 157–71.
23. Kotowska M, Albrecht P, Szajewska H (2005). Saccharomyces boulardii in the prevention of antibiotic-associated diarrhoea in children: a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial. Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics. 21 (5): 583-90.
24. Deters AM, Schröder KR, Hensel A. Kiwi fruit (Actinidia chinensis L.) polysaccharides exert stimulating effects on cell proliferation via enhanced growth factor receptors, energy production, and collagen synthesis of human keratinocytes, fibroblasts, and skin equivalents; J Cell Physiol. 2005 Mar;202(3):717-22.
25. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society of New Zealand, 2008, Volume 32, pages 20-25. Forty Second Annual Conference held in combination with the Australian Nutrition Society at Massey University, Albany Campus, Auckland, New Zealand (December 2007).
26. Bolino CM, Bercik P. Pathogenic factors involved in the development of irritable bowel syndrome: focus on a microbial role; Infect Dis Clin North Am. 2010 Dec;24(4):961-75.
27. Forno E, Onderdonk AB, McCracken J, Litonjua AA, Laskey D, Delaney ML, Dubois AM, Gold DR, Ryan LM, Weiss ST, Celedón JC. Diversity of the gut microbiota and eczema in early life; Clin Mol Allergy. 2008 Sep 22;6:11.
28. Frazier TH, DiBaise JK, McClain CJ. Gut microbiota, intestinal permeability, obesity-induced inflammation, and liver injury; JPEN J Parenter Enteral Nutr. 2011 Sep;35(5 Suppl):14S-20S.
29. Cani PD, Delzenne NM. The role of the gut microbiota in energy metabolism and metabolic disease; Curr Pharm Des. 2009;15(13):1546-58.

* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. If you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication, or have a medical condition, consult your physician before using this product.

The information provided on this site is for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for advice from your physician or other health care professional or any information contained on or in any product label or packaging. You should not use the information on this site for diagnosis or treatment of any health problem or for prescription of any medication or other treatment. You should consult with a healthcare professional before starting any diet, exercise or supplementation program, before taking any medication, or if you have or suspect you might have a health problem. You should not stop taking any medication without first consulting your physician.

Recommended by Oprah and Men's Fitness Magazine‏

In this post I'm going to recommend to you a book by Tom Venuto, author of the fat loss bible "Burn the Fat, Feed The Muscle".  It, allegedly, has been a true breakthrough for tens of thousands of men and
women who struggled for years with specific problems related to unwanted fat and obesity.

This is not about bodybuilding or getting "ripped" - this is for people who have yo-yo'd and struggled to keep weight off.

It's for people who struggle with inconsistent motivation, emotional eating, binge eating and other forms of self sabotage.

In very simple terms - this is for people who have a program but have a really hard time sticking to it.

This breakthrough is called "The Body Fat Solution."



It's a book available in paperback, hardcover and kindle/nook/ebook that has people talking and saying how different it really is....

"This is the book for women ready to tackle long term weight loss."
- Oprah Magazine

"One of the top 6 Diets of 2013"
- Mens Fitness Magazine

"Nothing fluffy about this book; just well-founded scientific research and clearly illustrated direction."
- Library Journal

"It's not a gimmick, it's not a quick fix, but it surely is a solution!"
- Dr. Chris Mohr, RD.

Trainers, bodybuilders, psychologists, producers, fitness bloggers, magazines, newspapers, researchers, skeptics, scientists, medical doctors and fitness seekers alike are ALL  saying the same thing: "This book is different."

That's because The Body Fat Solution is more about the psychology, emotions and social challenges of sticking with your program than the minutia of nutrition  and training science.

Or, as The Wall Street Journal said, "The Body Fat Solution is more attitude adjustment' than diet book."

The Body Fat Solution is not just about what program you follow, it's about  what makes you follow your program.

 (if that didn't make a light bulb go off in your head, then go back, read it again and really think about it!) .

By recognizing that there are emotional, psychological and social factors that can sabotage your success, The Body Fat Solution hones in on the root causes of body fat and provides a total lifestyle plan to take back control of your body, end emotional eating and stop self-sabotage for good - so you can get that fat off and KEEP IT OFF for life!

The diet and weight loss industries thrive on novelty and quick fixes, and each  program has a vested interest in convincing you that there's ONE evil culprit that's making you fat or ONE magic bullet that's the only way to get slim.  But unlike the new crop of fads you see on the bookshelves every year (which are gone the next), what what you'll learn in The Body Fat Solution are lifestyle principles, not diet tricks. Principles are timeless.

The Body Fat Solution is a #1 Amazon bestseller, a USA bestseller and it was an Oprah magazine and Men's Fitness magazine pick.

It's available at major bookstores and online at Amazon.

Trade paperback:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1583333738/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1583333738&linkCode=as2&tag=scottwalkethe-20

Kindle
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001QBPM8M/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B001QBPM8M&linkCode=as2&tag=scottwalkethe-20

You are wondering what is the difference between this and Tom's first fat loss book - Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle.  Maybe you are wondering if you needed the new book if they already had Burn The Fat and wanted to know if there was anything new that would help further.

ANSWER: Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle (BFFM) was designed to be a complete and definitive guide to nutrition for fat loss, based on the bodybuilding / fitness/ figure method of eating.
The majority of BFFM is devoted to nutrition, with ancillary chapters on setting goals effectively and on weight training and cardio, also following "the bodybuilding method".
The target audience for BFFM is anyone who is serious about fat loss, and who wants to maximize their results by putting in the time, paying attention to details, using advanced techniques (such as those used by bodybuilders before competition), and doing nutrition by the numbers (counting calories and macros). Generally, BFFM is for people who are highly motivated and enjoy or need structure.
The new hardcover book, The Body Fat Solution, was written for anyone who is overweight, or who was formerly overweight and who wants to maintain their ideal weight without struggle.
The Body Fat Solution is NOT for athletes, bodybuilders or people who need to get "ripped" or reach extremes of low body fat. Body Fat Solution is especially written for people who struggle with inconsistent motivation, emotional eating, binge eating and other forms of self sabotage.
The Body Fat Solution gives help for people struggling with everyday challenges - like frequent travel, restaurant temptations, busy schedules, high stress and social pressure - things that can can get in the way of the best nutrition or training strategy.
In The Body Fat Solution, one concise chapter on nutrition is included along with chapters on cardio training and a time-efficient weight training program for the busy person, which makes The Body Fat Solution a complete lifestyle program.
However, the major message is that "What nutrition or training program should you follow?" is not the most important question you should ask. The real critical question is... What makes you follow your program? And, conversely, "What makes you fall off your program so easily?"
The Body Fat Solution gets to the emotional and psychological root causes of body fat and shows you how to fix these hidden factors that sabotage most people.

Kettlebell Swings are an excellent glutes, hamstrings and lower back developer

3 Golden Rules to Adopting Healthy Habits

3 Golden Rules to Adopting Healthy Habits

1.  Don't expect yourself to follow it at all times (allow yourself a day off, once in a while)
2.  Realise that adherence ebs and flows, don't give up because you broke your habit once.  Get 'back on the horse'.
3. Only try to adopt one new habit at a time.  ie. make small changes at a time.  Change one meal or one day or one component.  Once you do that regularly, take on another healthy habit

Avoid Most Energy Drinks For Best Performance & Body Composition

Charles Poliquin posted this article today....

Monday, March 04, 2013 6:01 AM
Avoid energy drinks in favor of strategic workout supplementation for best performance and body composition results. The problem with the typical energy drink is you don’t have enough control over the ingredients.

For example, caffeine can significantly enhance performance, but most energy drinks have other stuff added that you simply don’t want pre-workout or when your goal is to boost energy. This tip will tell you why you should avoid energy drinks in favor of smart peri-workout nutrition.

The most obvious problem with energy drink is that they often contain competing ingredients. For example, taurine is a calming amino acid that is found in Red Bull and it should be taken post-workout, because it enhances activity of the inhibitory brain transmitters. You don’t want to take it when your goal is to elevate energy for training.

Two studies show that when subjects drank Red Bull, which contains sugar and vitamins along with caffeine and taurine, they had significant increases in blood pressure and heart rate variability, both of which indicate poor homeostasis. In the long-term changes in blood pressure and heart rate indicate altered circadian rhythms, put you at greater risk of inflammation, and may cause adrenal fatigue. All around, combining taurine and caffeine is a bad choice!

Of course, studies also show that the caffeine in energy drinks can be used to improve endurance and anaerobic performance. For example, a review of studies showed that energy drinks significantly increased run time to exhaustion and increased pain tolerance. However, researchers suggest that instead of using energy drinks, a straight caffeine supplement will provide more control over the ergogenic effect, without increasing cardiovascular health risk.

A second problem with energy drinks is that many contain sugar or high-fructose corn syrup, both of which have been shown to significantly increase blood glucose levels. Energy drinks containing carbs (sugar) should be avoided because it can decrease insulin sensitivity over the long run and raise your diabetes risk. Plus, you want to completely avoid carbs pre-workout, saving them for after training if you are very lean. If your goal is fat loss, avoid carbs completely in favor of protein post-workout. Increasing insulin during workouts is also known to boost serotonin, which you do not want because it will make you feel tired and will sap your strength.

The third problem with energy drinks is they often have artificial ingredients that will only increase your toxic load and should be eliminated. Finally, you simply don’t have enough control over the quality of the nutrients in energy drinks for them to be reliable.
Instead of using energy drinks, keep your workout nutrition simple with the following strategies:

Boost pre-workout energy levels by taking anhydrous caffeine in supplement form because it is the most effective fat burner, freeing up fat to be used for energy. Pair it with the amino acid tyrosine, which will help you feel alert and ready to train because it raises levels of dopamine.

Take 2 to 10 grams of vitamin C post-workout to help clear the caffeine and lower cortisol.

Avoid carbohydrates (and sugar) pre-workout. If you are very lean and your goal is building muscle, use a high-quality blend of carbs after training to enhance protein synthesis.

Take whey protein, or amino acids if you are allergic to whey, after training to enhance protein synthesis. Use BCAAs during training to prevent muscle breakdown.

Take magnesium threonate post-workout. This provides magnesium and threonine, and the pair will calm the nervous system and raise the neurotransmitter GABA. This will enhance recovery and sleep.

References
Franks, A., Schmidt, J., et al. Comparison of the Effects of Energy Drink Versus Caffeine Supplementation on Indices of 24-Hour Ambulatory Blood Pressure. The Annals of Pharmacotherapy. 2012. 46, 192-199.

Steinke, L., Lanfear, D., et al. Effect of “Energy Drink” Consumption on Hemodynamic and Electrocardiographic Parameters in Healthy Young Adults. The Annals of Pharmacotherapy. 2009. 43, 596-602.

Wolk, B., Ganetsky, M., et al. Toxicity of Energy Drinks. Current Opinion in Pediatrics. 2012. 24(2), 243-251.

A great solution is Solstic Energy by Nature's Sunshine.  It’s a fantastic alternative to Coffee, Tea, Fizzy drinks and other ‘energy’ drinks that provide a quick, sugar-fueled rush followed by an abrupt, vitality-sapping crash.  Helps energy release from carbohydrates, the main source of fuel for the body. Your body needs to constantly replenish water-soluble B vitamins to support energy levels and fight the draining effects of the day.


BENEFITS OF SOLSTIC ENERGY

• Yerba Maté, a powerful herb that has been used for thousands of years in the jungles of South America to increase endurance 
• Green tea extracts, rich in properties that help increase energy and vitality  
• Guarana seed contains a naturally occurring caffeine that promotes a gradual, sustained increase in alertness
• B Vitamins, the most important vitamins for helping release the energy you need to work all day
• Solstic Energy also includes sucralose, a sweetener created from natural sugar that has been proven safe through over twenty years of in depth scientific analysis
• Contains only 12 calories, no fat and only 3g of Carbohydrates.
• Low Glycaemic Index, and contains no pharmaceutical grade caffeine.

Health Benefits May Be Related to Its Sulfur Content

By Dr. Mercola

The clinical use of sulfur as an adjunct in our diet is becoming progressively more recognized as an important tool for optimizing health.
Certainly, diet is the primary tool for reducing your risk for chronic degenerative diseases. But the practical question becomes, how do you obtain the needed sulfur from food grown in depleted soils?
The nutrient MSM (methylsulfonylmethane), is a naturally occurring sulfur compound found in all vertebrates, including humans. MSM is already well-known for its joint health benefits, but it may be important for a whole host of other reasons as well.
Rod Benjamin is the director of technical development for Bergstrom Nutrition, the largest producer of the highest quality MSM that is produced by distillation purification.
MSM is a metabolite of DMSO (dimethyl sulfoxide, an organosulfur compound), but DMSO is approved for use in veterinary medicine only, not in humans.

Are the Health Benefits of MSM Related to Sulfur?

I first became aware of DMSO decades ago, when I saw a 60-Minutes episode in which they revealed its therapeutic impact on race horses. It supported their soft tissues, helped with muscle soreness and soft-tissue injury. It also benefitted the horses’ lung function.
Dr. Stanley W. Jacob pioneered the use of DMSO and later MSM. Originally, he began looking at DMSO because it freezes at about 65 degrees Fahrenheit, and Dr. Jacob had been deeply involved in looking at cryogenic preservation of tissues and organs for transplantation. As a result of being investigated for its cryogenic uses, DMSO ended up being one of the most researched drugs on the market today.

“DMSO is classified as a drug within the United States. You can buy it at a lot of veterinary supply stores and things like that, but it’s not to be used for humans,” Mr. Benjamin says.

MSM, which is a metabolite of DMSO, and approved for use in humans, primarily impacts your health by reducing inflammation. It’s widely used as a supplement for arthritic conditions. Like DMSO, MSM also appears to improve cell wall permeability, so it can be used to help deliver other active ingredients. Perhaps most important, MSM helps protect against oxidative damage.
Within the last two years, at least four human clinical trials have been conducted on MSM and its ability to help with exercise recovery, and muscle injuries like delayed onset muscle stiffness or soreness (DOMS) and large muscle injuries like that from a heart attack—all of which is related to oxidative stress and subsequent cellular damage.

“In one of the studies, they were looking at the VAS pain scores. That’s muscle soreness due to exercise. There was a significant reduction in the MSM-treated group versus placebo. That’s directly tied to the muscle soreness,” Mr. Benjamin says.

The Importance of Sulfur

Furthermore, according to Mr. Benjamin:

“Dr. Stanley Jacob said DMSO – and MSM together with that – in his opinion is much more of a therapeutic principle. It’s similar to exercise or proper nutrition. Instead of that singular focus that is so prevalent within the drug or pharmas per se, it’s much more of a therapeutic principle, which is overall body wellness [opposed to treating a specific symptom or ailment].”

This suggests that MSM may be providing some kind of missing link, and that link appears to be related to sulfur. MSM is 34 percent sulfur by weight, but as Mr. Benjamin discusses below, it is more than just a simple sulfur donor. It affects sulfur metabolism in the human body, although it’s still not entirely clear how.
Sulfur is just now becoming more widely appreciated as a really critical nutrient, without which many other things don’t work properly, and most people are probably not getting enough sulfur from their diet anymore. For example, sulfur plays a critical role in detoxification, and also in inflammatory conditions. For detoxification, sulfur is part of one of the most important antioxidants that your body produces: glutathione. Without sulfur, glutathione cannot work.
The plethora of research that was done on DMSO and its therapeutic properties begs the question: How many of those therapeutic properties are due to the DMSO? Or are they due to its metabolite, MSM, once it’s been converted in vivo or within the body? (Approximately 15 percent of any DMSO dosage, on average, converts to MSM in the human body.) The answer to that question is still unknown. Sulfur is found in over 150 different compounds within the human body. There are sulfur components in virtually every type of cell, so it’s extremely important.

“Now, as far as MSM’s role within the body, it’s very complicated. And I will say that it’s not a hundred percent understood,” Mr. Benjamin says. “I’ve been working with this compound for 16 years to try and answer that question. We understand a part of the mechanism of action, but not all of it.

...In 1986, Richmond did a study, and it showed that it was taken up into serum proteins. That sulfur was actually incorporated in the serum proteins.

We also have done [something] like the pharmacokinetic study, which showed that radiolabeled sulfur was taken up into hair, skin, and nails. Keratin is a very high sulfur-containing compound, which is a building block for your nails and your hair. But it also showed up in almost all tissues, spleen, and liver. It went all over.

It’s complicated. We did a study where we said, 'Okay, let’s give it to healthy human volunteers.' We did actually three different dosages – one gram, two grams, and three grams. We measured urinary sulfur output by measuring sulfate, thinking that sulfate will be a waste sulfur product that would show up excreted in the urine. We did the different doses to see if it was in a dose-dependent manner that we’d be able to correlate back and, say, 'Yes, MSM is giving output of sulfur.

We found that they were indeed dose-related, but the interesting thing was it was inversely related. The more MSM you took, the less sulfate was excreted in your urine. What that says is it’s much more complicated than just a strict sulfur donor. It is a compartmentalization of sulfur and sulfur metabolism within the body. That suggests that MSM is actually allowing better metabolism, better incorporation of the sulfur throughout the body. It’s not just a simple sulfur donor...'”

MSM Improves Your Body’s Ability to Make its Own Antioxidants

As I mentioned earlier, sulfur plays an important role in the production of glutathione—one of the most important antioxidants that your body produces. Glutathione also serves important functions for detoxification. Without sulfur, glutathione cannot work. So, while not an antioxidant by itself, part of MSM’s action is to improve your body’s ability to make its own antioxidants.
It also provides support for all sorts of structural proteins, where sulfur is an important component. According to Dr. Benjamin:

“[G]lutathione has two different states within your body. There’s reduced glutathione and oxidized glutathione. The ratio of those two signifies the overall oxidative status or the ability of your blood plasma to address oxidative stress. MSM improves that overall ratio. In other words, you have much more reduced glutathione that’s able to deal with these free radicals. That’s, I think, kind of the key of how MSM really – and DMSO also does the same thing – by controlling that oxidative stress or protecting from the oxidative damage can have these therapeutic [benefits].”

Sulfur-Rich Foods

Ideally, you’d be best off getting your sulfur needs filled from the foods you eat. However, this can be a bit of a challenge these days. There’s been a transition away from many traditional foods that have been the big sources of sulfur, like collagen or keratin, which we just don’t eat much nowadays.
You can perhaps get enough if you cook down bones from organically raised animals into bone broth and drink the broth regularly (or use for soups and stews). The connective tissues are sulfur-rich, and when you slow-cook the bones, you dissolve these nutrients out of the bone and into the water. According to Mr. Benjamin:

“MSM is in almost all raw foods. It’s in leafy green vegetables. Interestingly enough, there’s MSM in beer and coffee. Actually, it’s been identified as one of the main flavoring constituent in port wines... raw milk has the highest naturally occurring content of MSM.”

One caveat is cooking and pasteurization. While MSM is stable to extremes of pH and temperature, it volatilizes and turns to gas very easily. It’s also very water soluble. So when cooked at high temperatures, it simply wafts off in the steam. That’s why it’s easily removed during cooking and processing. Pasteurization cuts the MSM content by approximately 50 percent. So, in order to ensure you’re getting the most MSM from any food, it must be either raw or as minimally processed as possible.

Toxicity and Dosage Recommendations

Toxicity studies have shown that MSM is extremely safe and can be taken at very, very high doses. Even if you have a very rich diet full of raw vegetables and MSM-rich foods, you can still supplement and not hit that toxicity level. Clinical research studies have found that the effective amounts range from about 1.5 grams to 6 grams, although at higher doses, potential side effects include:

• Intestinal discomfort
• Swelling of the ankles
• Mild skin rashes

These are likely detoxifying effects that can typically be mitigated or minimized by cutting back on the initial dosage, and slowly working your way up. In that case, you might want to start out with half a gram (500 milligrams) for a couple of weeks and then slowly increase until you get up to the desired dose.
MSM is approved for use in fortified food and beverage and gram quantities may be consumed when consuming raw diet and approved MSM fortified foods. The amount from the fortified foods that have been approved would be between 1.9 to 3.8 grams per day. For comparison, intake of MSM from natural sources such as fruits and vegetables would be in the milligram per day range of about 2.3 to 5.6 mg/day.

How to Select a High –Quality MSM Supplement

As with most other supplements and food, quality is a major issue when it comes to selecting an MSM supplement. Fortunately, with MSM it’s fairly easy to determine. There are two methods of purification of MSM:

1. Distillation
2. Crystallization

For MSM, distillation is by far superior. But crystallization is less expensive, and a lot less energy-intensive. According to Mr. Benjamin, only two companies that produce MSM use distillation. Mr. Benjamin explains why you should consider a product that has been purified using distillation.

“A lot of the problems with [crystallization] is you’re essentially crystallizing it out of a parent solvent or liquid. If there are any impurities, which could be salts of heavy metals, you could have aromatic hydrocarbons in that… It’s actually the parent solvent. It’s usually water. It is dependent upon water quality. ”

Is MSM for You?

As you know, I am very cautious about recommending supplements, as I believe you’re best off getting your nutrients from healthful, whole organic foods. But, I’m also realistic, and I understand a perfect diet is hard to come by these days, so some supplements I believe can be quite beneficial. MSM would fall into this category. It would make sense that, if you’re suffering from a decrease in normal dietary sulfur, supplementing with something that’s relatively safe and inexpensive would make a lot of sense.
As I’ve said, sulfur is an emerging stealth player in nutrition and for a variety of mechanisms, including the detox and anti-inflammatory pathways. Remember, if you don’t have enough sulfur in your diet, you’re not going to be able to naturally produce glutathione, which is absolutely essential for removing heavy metals and many of the toxins you’re exposed to. People who might want to consider using some supplemental sulfur sources such as MSM include those who have:

• Chronic inflammatory conditions
• Aches and pains / sore muscles and achy joints
• Premature aging symptoms
• Toxicity

Lack of vitamin D can be root of many health issues

Decades of research and thousands of studies find it's something not in your diet that may be making you fat and putting you at a higher risk for cancers.

More than three-quarters of Americans are known to be deficient in this supplement.

It sounds too good to be true, but studies show one ingredient helps build stronger bones, regulate digestive and hormonal systems, fight depression and elevate mood, boost your immune system and fight off prostate and breast cancer.

"It's one of the most important hormones, and it truly is a hormone. It's not a vitamin," said Dr. Henri Roca, a former LSU Health Sciences Center doctor who is now at Greenwich Hospital where he is the Medical Director of Integrative Medicine.

The hormone vitamin D, is made in our bodies by strong midday sun exposure, but with the changing atmosphere, extreme heat and tremendous rise in skin cancers and skin damage - known as photo aging - we now need protective sunscreen. So our vitamin D must come from foods, such as fortified yogurt, orange juice, cereal, and naturally in cold water fish such as salmon and tuna. You can also get it from supplements.

The latest studies show if you get enough vitamin D and calcium you could potentially lose six times the weight as people who diet alone.

"It's going to change how receptive the body is to insulin, and so it is a key modulator in how the body deals with sugar and insulin. And that's it's connection to weight loss," explained Dr. Roca.

Not only does it help your body burn, rather than store fat, but it also works on receptors in the brain to keep hunger and cravings more normal. Roca says a vitamin D blood test is crucial. It's called 25-hydroxy vitamin D or 25-OH D. He aims for blood levels around 50 international units in his patients. But he stresses, more is not better.

"For people who's levels are greater than 50 there is a slight uptick, uptick in the rate of pancreatic cancer," Dr. Roca said.

Go very high, and your calcium and parathyroid hormone could be negatively affected too, although that is rare.

Calcium works with vitamin D to burn fat, so in general "The Vitamin D Diet" recommends 600 international units of vitamin D and 1,000 milligrams of calcium daily. But check with your doctor and get a blood test.

A new study suggests that people who take calcium supplements higher than 1,100 milligrams a day may increase their risk of a heart attack. People who ate a moderate amount of calcium daily had a lower risk of heart attacks than people who got too little. So always keep in mind that too much or too little of either supplement can cause health problems. Aim for balance and let your doctor guide you. Dark-skinned people are usually more vitamin D deficient.

For a phone consultation with Dr. Roca on all supplements: http://drhenriroca.com/

He finds that most people usually need 1,000 IU's a day but it is all individualized. Six nutrients for faster weight loss:

http://www.womenshealthmag.com/weight-loss/the-vitamin-d-diet

Meg's personal note:

I take all of these supplements and I also add in Green Tea supplements for the antioxidant and thermogenic (calorie burning) effect. I also take a packet of Juven a day after my workout to help repair and spare lean muscle mass.

Keep in mind that beginning in early adulthood, around the late 20's, we all start losing muscle which keeps us lean, strong and revs up our fat burning metabolism. That is why it is so important, especially for women, to do strength or resistance training along with cardio.

I do full body weight lifting along with my cardio of walking, jogging, high intensity interval sprinting, boxing, stair climbing and boot camp workout.

My doctor also has me on my body identical, non-oral, female hormone replacement therapy of estrogen, progesterone and testosterone and my blood is closely monitored to always be in the right range.

I never let my body sustain all the damage of going through menopause and lacking those three key hormones that are protective against so many terrible health problems including dementia, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, cancers, bone loss and osteoporosis, muscle loss, eye problems, teeth loss, skin drying and wrinkling, urinary infections, and the list goes on and on.

The ones that work are patches, gels, injections or pellet implants, giving your cells all the "ingredients" they need to function properly. Your doctor will decide which delivery system works for you. I am on patches and gels.

Optimise use and recommend Nature’s Sunsine supplements.  Their labs provide for maximum purity, ensuring that raw materials and finished goods are what they claim to be.

You can purchase purifed Vitamin D capsules from Optimise or via our web shop online.

Why should I take supplements?

Why shouldn’t you take supplements is a probably a more appropriate question. Many people respond to this by saying you can get all you need from a balanced diet. This is very bad advice for two main reasons:

1. Who eats a balanced diet? When people say eat a balanced diet have you ever wondered what that means…? A balanced diet requires a perfect balance of the 3 macronutrients and thousands of micronutrients at every meal - even if you are eating incredibly healthy grass fed meats and bio-dynamic vegetable sources this perfect balance would be impossible to achieve. 
2. Not possible in the modern day - we once lived in a world where food was naturally free from pesticides, herbicides fungicides, GM foods and pollution. Unfortunately this time passed us by about 10,000 years ago and is getting worse and worse by the day. This has had a serious effect even on the highest grade of food available today (biodynamic - grade above organic). Our soil and air quality is so poor today it is impossible to grow foods how mother nature once intended. Throw into the mix all the preservatives, sweeteners, processes, stabalisers, hormones and genetically modified organisms now used by food manufacturers we all need support no matter how good our nutrition is. 

As an absolute basic day to day supplement protocol you should use a high quality, organically sourced, pesticide free multi-vitamin (Super Supplemental), Omega-3 fish oil and a greens drink (liquid chlorophyll (or Green Zone - born2move’s personal favorite). You can purchase all of these supplements at a 20% discount from Optimise or via our online shop.
www.optimisevitamins.co.uk

Vitamin D deficiency: Beyond bone health

At a glance

• Without vitamin D, only 10%-15% of dietary calcium and only 60% of phosphorus is absorbed.
  
• Vitamin D deficiency has been defined as a serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) level of <20 ng/mL
  and insufficiency is defined as a serum 25(OH)D level of 21-29 ng/mL.
  
• • The primary cause of vitamin D deficiency is lack of ­exposure to sunlight.
    
  • Treatment of vitamin D deficiency or insufficiency (low D) is usually achieved either through sunlight exposure or vitamin D supplements.
  Over the past several years, there has been much talk about vitamin D deficiency, with the debate centering around optimal levels of vitamin D; who should be screened; and, after screening, how to treat. In the past, vitamin D deficiency was associated with persons who had inadequate exposure to sunlight or who lacked access to sufficient amounts of foods containing calcium, resulting in rickets. Over the past decade, information in the literature suggests that vitamin D deficiency may be more prevalent than first suspected and that the adverse health effects of low vitamin D levels may be far-reaching.
  Vitamin D has been implicated in a variety of health-related disorders. Although the primary indication for vitamin D is maintenance of bone health, vitamin D also factors into a number of physiologic processes, such as immunity, calcium absorption, and homeostasis of various organs. Adults whose low vitamin D levels remain unresolved may experience muscle weakness, osteoporosis, osteomalacia, and increased risk of falls. Decreased vitamin D intake and lower levels of serum vitamin D have been associated with some autoimmune diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, type 1 diabetes, systemic lupus erythematosus, and psoriasis. In addition, low serum vitamin D levels have been linked to increased risk of hypertension, MI, and death due to cardiovascular disease (CVD).¹ Table 1 presents a list of diseases in which vitamin D has been implicated.² According to the Institute of Medicine (IOM), however, the evidence related to these diseases has been inconsistent and further research is needed. While the investigative work continues, any adverse effects of vitamin D deficiency can be avoided if persons at risk are identified, screened, and treated appropriately in a timely fashion.
  

  Background

  Vitamin D was discovered in 1922 during the quest to cure rickets. Originally classified as a vitamin, vitamin D is actually a prohormone in the endocrine system of the skin. Vitamin D comprises a group of fat-soluble sterol compounds that includes ergocalciferol (vitamin D₂) and cholecalciferol (vitamin D₃). Vitamin D₂ can be obtained from UV irradiation of the yeast sterol ergosterol. It is found naturally in sun-exposed mushrooms and may be ingested from plant or fish sources. Vitamin D₃ is  synthesized by the skin from cholesterol under the influence of UV light and is present in oil-rich fish, such as mackerel and salmon.³ In the liver, vitamin D is hydroxylated to 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D), or calcidiol. In the kidney, calcidiol is hyroxylated to 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (1,25[OH]2D), or calcitriol. In turn, calcitriol increases intestinal absorption of calcium, enchances bone resorption, and decreases renal calcium and phosphate excretion. The function of vitamin D is to promote absorption of calcium in the intestine and to maintain adequate serum phosphate and calcium concentration in order to ensure normal bone mineralization. Without vitamin D, only 10%-15% of dietary calcium and only 60% of phosphorus is absorbed. When the level of vitamin D is sufficient, these amounts increase to 30%-40% for calcium and 80% for phosphorus. Vitamin D is also needed for bone growth and remodeling by osteoblasts and osteoclasts. The vitamin D content of various foods is presented in Table 2.
  

  Definition and prevalence

  The diagnostic test used to assess for vitamin D deficiency is a serum 25[OH]D determination. Deficiency has been defined as a serum 25(OH)D level of <20 ng/mL and insufficiency is defined as a serum 25(OH)D level of 21-29 ng/mL. According to recent estimates reported by The Endocrine Society, 20%-100% of U.S., Canadian, and European elderly men and women have vitamin D deficiency, 50% of Hispanic and black adolescents in Boston are deficient, 48% of white preadolescent girls in Maine have vitamin D levels <20 ng/mL, and 42% of black females aged 15-49 years have levels of <15 ng/mL by the end of winter.³ Other levels of vitamin D and the associated health implications are shown in Table 3.
  The primary cause of vitamin D deficiency is lack of exposure to sunlight, with exposure defined as sun shining on the arms and legs for five to 30 minutes between the hours of 10 AM and 3 PM twice a week. Keep in mind that application of sunscreen with a sun protective factor (SPF) of 30 decreases the synthesis of vitamin D by 95%. Other causes of vitamin D deficiency include obesity (BMI >30), fat malabsorption syndromes, nephrotic syndrome, hyperparathyroidism, some lymphomas, and HIV/AIDS.
  Among the primary benefits of adequate amounts of vitamin D are decreased risk of fracture and prevention of falls in older adults. According to research from Canada, inadequate levels of vitamin D (levels <20 ng/mL) have been linked an increased risk (30%-50%) of colon, breast, and prostate cancer.⁴
  

  Guidelines for evaluation of vitamin D deficiency

  In 2009, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) published guidelines on the evaluation and treatment of vitamin D deficiency,⁵ and in 2011, The Endocrine Society provided its own recommendations that also included prevention of vitamin D deficiency.³ Both organizations provided comprehensive guidelines on which patients to screen. However, a side-by-side comparison of these recommendations (Table 4) reveals some distinct differences. Also included in Table 4 are this author's recommendations of which of the patients seen in general practice should be screened. The AHRQ included in its recommendations the assessments that comprise an appropriate physical examination. These include general appearance, height and weight, vital signs, overall skin evaluation, skin color, and assessment of bone pain by pressing on the area over the sternum or shin. In addition to a serum 25(OH)D level, other laboratory studies that should be obtained to assess general bone health include a comprehensive metabolic panel, liver function tests, and thyroid-stimulating hormone, calcium phosphorus, protein, intact parathyroid hormone, albumin, alkaline phosphatase, creatinine, total testosterone, serum C-telopeptide, urinary N-telopeptide, and serum osteocalcin determinations.
  

Optimise use and recommend Nature's Sunsine supplements.  Their labs provide for maximum purity, ensuring that raw materials and finished goods are what they claim to be.
You can purchase purifed Vitamin D capsules from Optimise or via our web shop online.