Top Ten Foods for Fat Loss & Body Composition

By Poliquin™ Editorial Staff

Use these ten foods in your diet to support fat loss and get the physique you desire. Assuming you are training regularly, including these foods in a high-protein, relatively low-carb whole food diet will help you get and stay lean, while feeling energized and motivated throughout the day.

These ten foods will help you lose fat because they support your body to do one or more of these five things:
•    Increase the body’s use of fat for energy, shifting it to burn fat instead of carbohydrates.
•    Decrease chronic inflammation and improve the sensitivity of cells to insulin so that blood sugar from carbohydrates is used for energy or stored as muscle glycogen and doesn’t turn into fat.
•    Improve the body’s internal detoxification system to enhance elimination of waste products and toxins that slow the metabolism.
•    Support tissue repair and increase the body’s resting metabolic rate so that more energy is burned when food is broken down.
•    Improve the endocrine response to food—there are many effects of this, including lower insulin and cortisol, better elimination of excess estrogen, and higher leptin, which blunts feelings of hunger.

#1: Cold Water Fish: Salmon, Whitefish, Mackerel, Sardines & Anchovies
These cold water fish are high in the omega-3 fats that improve insulin sensitivity and decrease inflammation. The effect is of getting the majority of dietary fat from omega-3 fats is fat loss and improved body composition. For instance, a recent study of healthy adults showed that taking 4 grams of omega-3s a day for 6 weeks significantly increased lean mass and decreased body fat. Other studies have shown an association of a better body composition in people who eat more than 5 servings of cold water fish a week.

Take Away: Get the majority of your dietary fats from foods that are high in omega-3 fats. Cold water fish is a great place to start, and grass-fed and wild meats can increase your intake. Eat a serving of one of these high-protein sources at every meal.

#2: Nuts: Walnuts & Almonds
Nuts are high in antioxidants, protein, fiber, and healthy fats, and research shows that supplementing the diet with them can significantly improve body composition. They not only increase the metabolic response to eating, but they increase feelings of satiety and blunt hunger—the hormone leptin has been found to be higher in people who eat nuts daily.

Walnuts may be the healthiest nuts because they are typically eaten raw with the skin on, which increases their antioxidant content. Almonds also top the list of fat burning nuts because of their high protein and fiber content, and they contain a lot of vitamin E that supports detoxification.

Take Away: Eating a serving of nuts a day in conjunction with a high-protein, low-carb diet can produce significant fat loss and help you feel satisfied.

#3: Whey Protein
Whey protein, which can be found in dairy products and taken as a supplement, is a super food for body composition because it enables the body to repair tissue and burn fat. It also enhances the body’s internal antioxidant system by increasing something called glutathione.

Research shows that exercise performance and fat loss are enhanced when the body’s glutathione levels are higher during strength training. For example, in one study that had men take 22 grams of whey protein daily in conjunction with a strength training program had them lose more body fat than a group that only strength trained and didn’t supplement with whey.

Take Away: Supplement with whey protein daily to increase your metabolic rate, antioxidant status, and support tissue repair.

#4: Berries: Blueberries, Strawberries & Raspberries
Besides being delicious, berries are great for fat loss because they contain fiber, antioxidants, and have been shown to blunt the amount of insulin the body produces in response to eating them with high-carbohydrate foods. Raspberries, in particular, contain a unique antioxidant called ellagitannins that have been shown to improve the brain’s sensitivity to leptin, making you feel less hungry.

Take Away: Get multiple servings of berries daily. Throw in a serving of the superfruits mango, pomegranate, and tart cherries for variety—all three convey similar benefits as berries and food scientists have called them all “anti-obesity” fruits.

#5: Avocados
A recent review of foods that can treat obesity and prevent diabetes wrote that the “avocado has tremendous antioxidant capacity,” and has been shown to completely eradicate chronic inflammation related to high body fat in mice. Adding avocados and pomegranates to the diet of the mice allowed for them to lose fat and have better insulin sensitivity over time.

Take Away: Selectively include avocados in your diet. Depending on other fat intake, eat them a few days a week. One avocado contains 250 calories, 10 g of fiber, 15 g of monounsaturated fat, 4 g of protein, and 20 essential nutrients.

#6: Broccoli & Cruciferous Vegetables
The cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and cauliflower help the body clear excess estrogen—both naturally occurring and chemical estrogens such as BPA. By a variety of mechanisms, compounds in these veggies can interact with the genes involved in estrogen binding, while clearing estrogen from the body.

In addition, research shows that the high fiber content of these veggies will delay carbohydrate absorption, favorably modifying the glucose response. Their inherent high fiber brings about a very moderate insulin response, thus making them an ideal fat loss food. Dark green vegetables usually have a large antioxidant content as well.

Take Away: Shoot for multiple servings of cruciferous vegetables daily. Broccoli, cauliflower, bok choy, kale, collards, arugula, radish can be eaten raw, added to salads, or steamed. Raw food are better for fat loss, but the key is to eat them daily, so if cooked is more palatable, go for it.

#7: Eggs
Eggs are an excellent protein source and they also provide a nice dose of choline, which protects the liver from accumulating fat and is the precursor to the energizing neurotransmitter, acetylcholine. Increasing acetylcholine levels can increase growth hormone, which is a potent fat burner. Plus, eggs are very filling, and you get a nice boost in metabolism on account of the thermic effect of  their high protein content.

Incorrectly feared due to their cholesterol content, eggs haven’t been found to elevate serum cholesterol. The body actually uses the cholesterol to produce testosterone and other androgenic hormones, and it improves the integrity of muscle cell membranes. One study showed that eating 12 eggs a week didn’t increase LDL cholesterol at all, and when exercise was done, the high egg intake improved the participants’ ratio of good to bad cholesterol to the same degree as a group that ate no eggs.

Take Away: Eat eggs a few days a week to increase your protein and choline intake. Avoid eating them daily because this has ben shown to cause intolerances.

#8: Coffee & Green Coffee Extract
There is compelling evidence that coffee increases your metabolic rate so that you burn more calories, and it can help shift the body to burn fat rather than glucose for energy. In addition, we know coffee enhances the body’s defenses against reactive oxygen species, can help modulate blood sugar, and may even reduce your risk of Alzheimer’s disease.

The fat loss effect of coffee drinking hasn’t been studied extensively, but one study showed drinking 500 ml of coffee daily for 4 weeks produced 2.5 kg weight loss in overweight subjects. Perhaps more effective, green coffee extract, which comes from the bean before roasting and can be added to any beverage, has been shown to produce significant fat loss: One study compared the effect of giving participants a high-dose green coffee extract (1050 mg), a low-dose (700 mg), or a placebo for 6 weeks and found that the large dose resulted in an average 8 kg loss in body weight and a 4.4 percent drop in body fat—very impressive. The low dose and placebo produced no changes in body composition.

Take Away: Using green coffee extract and drinking coffee can help you lose fat in conjunction with a healthy diet. They aren’t a weight loss solution, but a nice addition to a complete fat loss diet. Green tea provides similar benefits as coffee if it is your beverage of choice.

#9: Kimchi
Kimchi, a fermented Korean food made from napa cabbage, onions, garlic, and fiber, has been shown to aid digestion, improve insulin sensitivity, and produce fat loss. A recent study showed that overweight subjects who ate 100 grams of kimchi at every meal for 4 weeks produced significant fat loss and decreased body fat by 1.5 percent. Blood pressure and blood sugar control were both lower by the end of the study.

Take Away: Include kimchi and other fermented foods in your diet daily for better health and fat loss. Get kimchi at an Asian food store or Whole Foods.

#10: Vinegar
Vinegar aids the body in storing carbohydrates as muscle glycogen rather than storing them as fat. In addition, studies show eating vinegar as a seasoning with meals can improve pancreatic function, and lower the insulin response to carbs. Even if you just add vinegar to your salad or cruciferous vegetables, it can lower the insulin response to your whole meal, leading to a more moderate elevation in blood sugar.

Take Away: Balsamic and white wine vinegar are some of the most delicious vinegars, but you can add any kind to your meal daily and get the fat loss benefits.

References

Vinson, J., Burnham, B., et al. Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Linear Dose, Crossover Study to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of a Green Coffee Bean Extract in Overweight Subjects. Diabetes, Metabolic Syndrome, and Obesity. 2012. 5, 21-27.

Onakpova, I., Terry, R., et al. The Use of Green Coffee Extract as a Weight Loss Supplement: a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Clinical Trials. Gastroenterology Research and Practice. 2011.

Kotyczky, C., Boettler, U., et al. Dark Roast Coffee is More Effective than Light Roast Coffee in Reducing Body Weight and Restoring Red Blood Cell Vitamin E and Glutathione Concentrations in Healthy Volunteers. Molecular Nutrition and Food Research. 2011. 55 (10), 1582-1586.

Noreen, E., Sass, M., Crowe, M., Pabon, V., Branauer, J., Averill, L. Effects of Supplemental Fish Oil on Resting Metabolic Rate, Body Composition, and Salivary Cortisol in Healthy Adults. 2010. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition. 7(31).

Smith, G., Atherton, P., Reeds, D., Mohammed, B., Rankin, D., Rennie, M., Mittendorfer, B. Dietary Omega-3 Fatty Acid Supplementation Increases the Rate of Muscle Protein Synthesis in Older Adults: a Randomized Controlled Trial. 2010. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 93(2), 402-412.

Sheikholeslami Vatani, D., Golzar, F. Changes in Antioxidant Status and Cardiovascular Risk Factors of Overweight Young Men after Six Weeks Supplementation of Whey Protein Isolate and Resistance Training. Appetite. 2012. 59, 673-678.

Devalaraja, S., Jain, S., Yaday, H. Exotic Fruits as Therapeutic Complements for Diabetes, Obesity, and Metabolic Syndrome. Food Research International. August 2011. 44(7), 1856-1865.

Johnston, C., Steplewska, I., et al. Examination of the Antiglycemic Properties of Vinegar in Healthy Adults. Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism. 2010. 56(1), 74-79.

Vislocky, L., Pikosky, M., et al. Habitual Consumption of Eggs Does not Alter the Beneficial Effect of Endurance Training on Plasma Lipids and Lipoprotein Metabolism in Untrained Men and Women. Journal of Nutrition and Biochemistry. 2009. 20(1), 26-34.

Vadivel, V., Kunyanga, C., et al. Health Benefits of Nut Consumption with Special Reference to Body Weight Control. Nutrition.

The Zero Excuse Weekend Challenge

Build muscle and burn fat anywhere with this total-body equipment-free circuit

You don't need a gym membership to sculpt your best body. In fact, you don't even need weights. Gaining strength and blasting fat is about challenging your muscles and revving your metabolism, and that's exactly what Todd Durkin, C.S.C.S., author of The IMPACT! Body Plan, does with this four-move equipment-free weekend challenge. "You'll be amazed how hard you can work without a gym," says Durkin. Plus, there's no excuse for skipping this challenge, since you can do it anywhere.


Here’s how it works: Grab a stopwatch and perform these four exercises as a circuit, doing one after another with no rest.

Walking Lunge
Stand tall and brace your core. Step forward with your left leg and slowly lower your body until your front knee is bent at least 90 degrees. Your rear knee should nearly touch the floor. Pause, then raise up and bring your back foot forward so that you move forward a step with every rep. Alternate the leg you step forward with each time. Do 40 repetitions.

Skater Jump
Stand on your left foot with your left knee slightly bent and your right foot slightly off the floor. Lower your body toward the floor, and then bound to your right by jumping off your left leg. Land on your right foot and bring your left foot behind your right as you reach toward the outside of your right foot with your left hand. That's 1 rep. Reverse the movement back toward the left, landing on your left foot. Do 30 reps.

Pushup
Kneel on all fours and place your hands slightly wider than your shoulders. Set your feet together and straighten your arms and legs. Then bend your elbows and lower your body until your chest nearly touches the floor. Pause, and push yourself back to the starting position. Perform 20 reps.

Groiner
Get into a pushup position. Jump your feet forward to the outside of your hands (or as close as you can). Pause for a brief second, and then jump your feet back to the starting position. That’s 1 rep. Do 10.

Ready to try it? Watch the video above to see how to perform this weekend’s challenge. Durkin completed the four-move challenge in 2 minutes and 18 seconds. When Durkin had his NFL clients perform the challenge, New Orleans running back Darren Sproles performed the circuit fastest with a time of 1 minute and 43 seconds. What was your time? Let us know in the comments below.

All About Safe Cleaners

by Brian St. Pierre

Many popular cleaning products contain dangerous chemicals that can damage our health and the environment. But, armed with the information in this article, you can choose safer alternatives that are just as effective.
Walk down the cleaning supplies aisle in your local supermarket and you’ll discover an enormous array of products – many of them familiar to you from advertisements.
With so many choices and such aggressive promotion, it’s tough to figure out what you really need to clean your home, what chemicals may do more harm than good, and which companies are trying to marry effectiveness and safety.
In this article, we’ll cover:

• Why finding safe cleaners is a challenge
• Why you should care about cleaner safety
• Particular chemicals to watch for
• How to choose safer and healthier options

The challenge of safe cleaners

When we use cleaning products, we expose our  bodies to chemicals. We may inhale those chemicals, absorb them through our skin, or make contact with mucous membranes. (More on specific exposure issues below.)
Once we’re finished using cleaners and rinse them down the drain, they end up in our waterways, where they threaten aquatic life.
Unfortunately, despite these well-known risks, most big-name manufacturers of cleaners seem to pay more attention to their brand appeal and their bottom line than they do to the potential hazards of their products.

What’s in that bottle?

It’s hard to know. Manufacturers don’t have to disclose all their ingredients on the label.
For instance:

• Manufacturers don’t have to specify what’s included in “fragrance.”
• Nor are they obliged to name ingredients that are considered trade secrets.
• And they’re free to use vague terms (such as “cleaning agent,” or “quaternary ammonium compound”) to describe almost anything they don’t want to list.

You don’t always know exactly what you’re buying and using.
So what’s a concerned consumer to do? How can you ensure that you’re buying safe and effective products?

Researching your cleaning products

Step 1: Read labels

Even though some ingredients may not appear on the label (and even if they did, you might need a PhD in advanced chemistry to understand what they are), start by reading the labels on your cleaning products.
Look for two things:

• usage warnings (e.g. don’t get this stuff in your eyes, wear gloves, etc.); and
• the ingredients outlined in this article.

Don’t be fooled by marketing claims like “natural”, “green”, “eco-friendly”, “organic”, etc.

Step 2: Review a healthy cleaner database

Check out the Environmental Working Group’s Guide to Healthy Cleaning database.
Here you can search for the home cleaning products you currently use and see how safe – or unsafe – they really are. You can also search out safer products to use in your home, as well individual ingredients found in products that the Working Group has not yet reviewed.
The EWG’s database is an incredible resource, and we highly recommend it.

Who regulates cleaning products?

At the workplace, we might don safety gear before working with hazardous substances. In fact, our occupational regulations might require it.
At home, we often don’t think about it. We might assume household products are safe. That they’ve been well-tested. And, perhaps, that our government would never allow the wide (and sometimes unstated) use of dangerous chemicals.
Not necessarily.
In the United States and Canada, companies that make cleaning products can use nearly any ingredient or raw material in their product formulations without government review or approval.  And again, manufacturers don’t have to report all their ingredients on the product label.
In Canada, the industry-led Consumer Ingredient Communication Initiative (CICI) does provide shoppers with some information. Participating companies have agreed to list ingredients contained in their products either on their website, via a customer service number, or on the package label. But without regulations, nobody can enforce this agreement.
In the U.S., the Toxic Substances Control Act of 1976 lays out what the EPA can do to regulate the industry, and essentially, it’s not much.
If the EPA feels that a product or chemical poses an unreasonable risk of injury, companies may voluntarily recall a product.
And while these voluntary recalls do occur, they tend to focus on immediate injury risk such as chemical burns or fire hazards, not on subtle, chronic, or slow-developing problems such as asthma or cancer.
Companies do not have to prove chemicals are safe before putting them into cleaning products.

How we’re exposed to risk

While we don’t eat, drink, or wash our bodies with these products, we do breathe in sprays and powders, absorb chemicals through our skin and mucous membranes, and accidentally swallow many of them. Chemical residues on surfaces or in house dust can end up on your skin and in your food.
In fact, testing by the Silent Spring Institute found 66 hormone-disrupting chemicals, including flame-retardants, home-use pesticides (such as triclosan), phthalates and more in household “dust bunnies”!

Is this enough exposure to matter?

Yes.
Many ingredients in cleaning supplies harm or irritate the lungs and can trigger or cause asthma, even in healthy people, and even in very small amounts. Such chemicals can also irritate, harm or even burn the skin and eyes, and act as endocrine disruptors that increase risk of cancer and reproductive abnormalities.
Children are at particular risk.
Most people tested in assessments of chemical exposure have had cleaning ingredients such as phthalates and synthetic musk (from fragrance), alkylphenols, and triclosan in their blood.
Occasional exposure to many of these chemicals may not pose a problem, but prolonged exposure over a lifetime can increase the risk of many complications.  We don’t know much about the dangers because safety testing is not required.
Scary stuff.

What chemicals are we talking about?

Sodium hypochlorite

Sodium hypochlorite is the main component of most commercial chlorine bleach products.  It can irritate and burn skin, cause and aggravate asthma and respiratory problems, and poison marine life. It’s also potentially linked to cancer and reproductive problems.

Quaternary ammonium compounds

These are often used in dryer sheets to coat the fabric.
There are many quaternary ammonium compounds, which are sometimes listed individually, and sometimes simply listed by the category name alone, where the company won’t provide full disclosure.  Many of these compounds are cause severe burns and eye damage, are very toxic to aquatic life, and are known asthmagens.
These compounds  include:
•    benzalkonium chloride
•    stearalkonium chloride
•    centrimonium bromide
•    quaternium 1-29

Formaldehyde releasers

Formaldehyde releasers are a class of antimicrobial preservatives used in many household cleaning products in the U.S. to extend shelf life of the products.
They are toxic to the immune system and skin, and they are highly allergenic. The U.S. government and World Health Organization classify inhaled formaldehyde as a known human carcinogen.
The following chemicals are known formaldehyde releasers found in many cleaning products:
•    DMDM hydantoin (trade name Glydant)
•    bronopol (2-bromo-2-nitropropane-1,3-diol)
•    quaternium-15
•    imidazolidinyl urea
•    diazolidinyl urea
•    hydroxymethylglycinate
•    hexahydro-1,3,5-tris (2-hydroxyethyl)-S-triazine (trade name Grotan)

Triclosan

Triclosan is an antibacterial pesticide that is found in some dishwashing liquid and hand soaps.
It’s highly toxic to aquatic life, with long lasting effects. It may promote bacterial resistance, can act as an endocrine disruptor, and may decrease thyroid function, among other possible endocrine toxicities.

Fragrance

Fragrance is found in nearly every category of household cleaners.
The term “fragrance” may include any of at least 3,163 different chemicals. The Environmental Working Group has found that on average, 14 hidden compounds make up the “fragrance” ingredient on the label.
Fragrance mixtures have been associated with allergies, dermatitis, respiratory distress and potential effects on the reproductive system, such as low sperm count.  Indeed, fragrance is one of the world’s top five allergens.

Phthalates

Phthalates are commonly used in fragrance mixtures to make them last longer.
Several studies have linked phthalate exposure to a host of problems, including low sperm count and an elevated risk of sperm damage, feminization of the male reproductive system (especially when male babies are exposed in the womb through their mothers), neurobehavioral problems, and insulin resistance.
Phthalates are almost never individually listed as an ingredient.

1,4-dioxane

1,4-dioxane is a suspected human carcinogen and is a common contaminant of many cleaning chemicals. It is not used as an ingredient, but is a by-product of the chemical production process.
It is irritating to the eyes and respiratory tract, and exposure may cause damage to the central nervous system, liver, and kidneys. Accidental worker exposure has resulted in several deaths.
Keep in mind that while these seven categories are important, they do not represent a comprehensive list, as cleaning companies use many other potentially dangerous chemicals.

What does this mean?

Take a hard look at the cleaning products you currently use and decide if their effectiveness is worth the potential health risks to you and your family.
There are many far more human and environmentally friendly products out there that are just as effective and just as affordable as brand-name cleaning products.
Your best bet would be to check out each of the products you use on the Environmental Working Group’s Guide to Healthy Cleaning database and see how they stack up.  If a product scores poorly, you can search by category to find a safer alternative.  If it scores well, give yourself a high five!

Safer, greener cleaning

I’ve saved you some of the trouble by outlining some safe and effective products that I use in my home, as well as some other tips for greener cleaning and a safer environment for you and your loved ones.

Doing dishes

Whether you choose to do the dishes by hand or in the dishwasher (most likely both), there are cleaners you can choose that are both safe and effective.
Here are two effective and highly rated products:

• In the dishwasher: Seventh Generation’s Automatic Dishwasher Detergent. Free and clear of fragrances or dyes, it works as well as products loaded with those.
• For doing dishes by hand: Planet Ultra Dishwashing Liquid.

Avoid anti-bacterial dishwashing products, as they contain triclosan, which is entirely unnecessary, and have not been shown to be any more effective than regular cleaning agents.

Doing laundry

Detergent

Many people are very particular about their laundry detergent. They swear that their favourite detergent cleans best, or they love it for the smell it gives to their clothes.
Unfortunately, that smell may induce asthma or cause other respiratory problems.  In addition, many laundry detergents leave soapy residues on clothes that can dull colors and make clothes stiff and irritate the skin.
Many people believe that more detergent equals cleaner clothes. But this isn’t true.  Since most detergents today are concentrated, and many people have high-efficiency washers, we don’t need as much detergent as we might imagine.
In fact, using more detergent than needed ends up washing your clothes less effectively. It leaves a soapy residue that fades colors and attracts more dirt.
Excess detergent will also build up in your machine and encourage bacteria growth and odor that will decrease the performance and life of your washer. And of course, overusing detergent is just plain wasteful and expensive.
Whether for HE front-loaders or conventional top-loaders, Seventh Generation Natural Laundry Detergent Powder, Free & Clear is an effective product.
If you’re absolutely committed to a particular scent on your clothes, try adding a few drops of plant-derived essential oils to the wash.

Fabric softener

Conventional fabric softeners and dryer sheets coat your clothes with a layer of chemicals, most commonly dangerous quaternary ammonium compounds.  These chemicals increase the smooth feeling of fabrics and decrease static build up during tumble-drying.
This buildup of fabric softeners may lead to decreased absorbency, which is obviously less than ideal for items like towels and washcloths, but most people aren’t aware of that.
Meanwhile, most fabric softeners and dryer sheets also contain fragrances. And the Association of Occupational and Environmental Clinics, a leading international authority on asthma, calls many of the chemicals in fabric softeners and dryer sheets “asthmagens” – substances that can cause asthma to develop in otherwise healthy people.
While the risk from fragrance may seem arbitrary or not definitive, a 2010 University of Washington study tested 25 commonly used scented laundry products, ran them through a laundry cycle and tested what was emitted from the dryer.
They found 133 different chemicals, with an average of 17 per product, and more than one third of the products emitted a chemical classified as a probable carcinogen by the US EPA.  Of these 133 chemicals, nearly a quarter of them were classified as toxic or hazardous under at least one federal law.  And only one of these 133 compounds was listed on a product label!
These chemicals don’t belong in your laundry or on your clothes, and your neighbors probably don’t want to breathe them in, either.
Instead of scented liquid fabric softener or dryer sheets, a simple and effective tool is to use distilled white vinegar in place of regular fabric softener.  Just use ½ cup with the final rinse cycle.
Vinegar provides many benefits to your laundry, including:
•    Dissolving the alkaline residues left on your clothes from the detergent, leaving brighter, clearer and softer clothes.
•    Removing unwanted odors that your detergent might’ve missed
•    Removing soap scum and mineral deposits that can build up in your washing machine
•    Helping to prevent mold and mildew growth
Note that you should not use vinegar if you are also using chlorine bleach. And don’t worry – vinegar won’t affect fabric absorbency nor will it make your clothes smell like a salad!
Vinegar is better at softening clothes than at removing static cling. If you want to use dryer sheets to help eliminate static cling, an unscented product such as Seventh Generation Natural Fabric Softener Sheets would be an excellent choice.

Bleach / whitener

Many people also like to use chlorine bleach when washing their whites, as chlorine is a very good whitener.  However, chlorine bleach is poisonous and corrosive, and if you have a septic system it will also kill much of the bacteria that are necessary for breaking down the solids that accumulate in your tank.
Instead, try using:

• a non-chlorine bleach such as Seventh Generation Chlorine Free Bleach, which uses hydrogen peroxide as its cleaning agent; hydrogen peroxide is a safe and effective stain remover; or
• Borax for deodorizing and whitening (look for it in the laundry section of the store)

If you’ve got some funky gym clothes, try soaking them in a solution of baking soda and water before washing.
When possible, leave the washer door open between uses.  This lets the washer dry out, and thus prevents mold and mildew from growing.

Cleaning the bathroom

When it comes to their bathrooms, many people feel the need to sanitize things with a death blast of chemicals.
We’d never advise you to live in filth. But you don’t need to kill every last micro-organism in your loo.
Research has not found anti-bacterial cleaners such as bleach to be any more effective than conventional cleaners at reducing illness at home.  In fact, the American Medical Association recommends avoiding antibacterial cleaning supplies (such as chlorine bleach and triclosan) because there is no evidence to suggest that they enhance health protection, and because overusing them may help create antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
While antibacterial cleaning products might be important in a hospital, there’s no evidence that you need to use them at home.
We recommend:

Nature’s Sunshine Concentrate

This all-purpose, concentrated cleaner is tough on dirt, grease and grime, yet it won’t harm the environment or your family because it contains no phosphates, borates or acids. Its biodegradable cleaning and sudsing agents break down easily, helping to prevent foaming in lakes and streams.
Many soaps may have a pH of 8 or higher, which means they can be harmful to those who have sensitive skin. But with a pH of 6.5, Sunshine Concentrate is gentle on any skin type, making it the ideal cleaning product for a multitude of jobs around the home.

Cleaning the floor

Many traditional floor cleaners are unfortunately loaded with some of those nasty compounds discussed in the beginning of this article.  They are probably doing you more harm than good, and there are many other safer options available to you.
Dilute some Nature’s Sunshine Concentrate in warm water to clean kitchen and bathroom, or any, floors.
For removing those tough carpet stains, another great product is Martha Stewart Clean Carpet Stain Remover.  (Yes, that Martha Stewart.  In fact, many of the products in her Clean line are incredibly safe and effective.)

Multi-purpose cleaner

Of course you can use Nature’s Sunshine Concentrate for a multi-purpose or all-purpose general cleaner.  Baking soda can also be really useful as a cleaning and stain removing agent.
If you like to use pre-wet wipes, a great option is Whole Foods Green MISSION Surface Cleaning Wipes. But limiting your use of this type of product is a good idea. Often you can use a reusable cloth instead.

Glass & window cleaner

Instead of the classic Windex, try Citra-Solv Citra Clear Window and Glass Cleaner.
Or you could try a low-tech solution of ¼ cup distilled vinegar, two cups water, and a teaspoon of Nature’s Sunshine Concentrate.
And by the way, scrub windows with crumpled-up old newspapers instead of paper towel. Saves you buying paper towels, leaves a streak-free shine, and it’s a handy way to re-use the newspapers before you recycle them.

Wood polish

Pledge doesn’t make the cut.  Citra-Solv Citra Wood Natural Wood & Furniture Polish is a better option. You could also try an old-fashioned beeswax polish or some olive oil with a squeeze of lemon juice (drip a little on a soft cloth, then use the cloth to polish the wood).

The best way to make changes

Now that you might be convinced you want to change the products you’re using to clean your home, clothes, and dishes, what is the best course of action?
First, don’t be in a hurry to flush your products down the drain or throw them away.
When these chemicals get into waterways they can harm wildlife and contaminate streams and rivers.  Simply use up what you have before you transition to a safer product.
A few more uses probably won’t harm you.  But if you have special reasons for concern – say, if you’re pregnant or plan to become pregnant; or are already struggling with asthma/allergies – or if you simply want to get rid of them quickly, call your local town office to find out where you can drop off hazardous waste.
In general, simply replace old and dangerous cleaners with newer and safer ones as you finish them.
Choose products you have researched to be safe, can easily access, can afford, and find effective for your needs.

References

Arif AA, Delclos GL, Serra C. 2009. Occupational exposures and asthma among nursing professionals. Occupational and Environmental Medicine 66(4): 274-278.
Basketter DA, Broekhuizen C, Fieldsend M, Kirkwood S, Mascarenhas R, Maurer K, et al. 2010. Defining occupational and consumer exposure limits for enzyme protein respiratory allergens under REACH. Toxicology 268(3): 165-170.
Bello A, Quinn MM, Perry MJ, Milton DK. 2010. Quantitative assessment of airborne exposures generated during common cleaning tasks: a pilot study. Environmental Health 9: 76.
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The Carnitine-Hypoglycemia Story: The role of Carnitine in Fatty Acid Oxidation and Why It Does Not Work In Hypoglycaemics

by Bryan Walsh

Carnitine is a nitrogen-containing non-protein compound that can be synthesized by the body. Carnitine is thought to help transport long chain fatty acids across the inner mitochondrial membrane to be used as a source for ATP synthesis (beta oxidation).

Conventional nutritional wisdom suggests that because our body can make carnitine, we should easily have enough. But this assumes we have the necessary ingredients. To make carnitine, we need the amino acids lysine and methionine, as well as vitamin C, vitamin B6, iron, and oxygen. Many people lack one or more of these raw materials.

[Nature's Sunshine Mega-Chel contains most of the required nutrients for your body to make carnitine (minus the oxygyen, that you will have to suck in yourself).  Mega Chel contains 58mg of l-methionine, 2,220% of RDA of vitamin C, 2,500% of RDA of vitamin B6, and 3.2mg of iron.]

Carnitine can also be consumed in our diet, with the highest amounts occurring in red meat and pork. Some diets may be deficient.

Hypoglycemia

When our blood sugar starts to drop between meals, two processes should kick in to help maintain normal levels – glycogenolysis and gluconeogenesis. The pancreatic hormone glucagon is thought to stimulate these processes.
But glucagon doesn’t seem to work correctly in hypoglycemics. What could be going on?
First, a quick review of the pathways:

1. When glucose starts to drop, insulin will often drop and glucagon will often increase.
2. This situation (low insulin, high glucagon) can stimulate lipolysis, or the liberation of fatty acids from adipocytes (fat cells).
3. These fatty acids can make their way to the liver to be used for energy (ATP) synthesis.
4. Fatty acids must enter into the mitochondria of cells, where they will be broken down into acetyl coenzyme A (acetyl-CoA), and used to produce ATP in the citric acid cycle.
5. During low energy states, (e.g. low glucose), high levels of acetyl-CoA up-regulates the enzyme pyruvate into oxaloacetate, which can then be converted into phosphoenoylpyruvate (PEP) and used in hepatic gluconeogenesis. Conversely, low levels of acetyl-CoA down-regulates pyruvate carboxylase and thus gluconeogenesis will suffer.

So why, during low energy states, can acetyl CoA levels drop within the mitochondria?

Enter carnitine

During periods of low glucose, carnitine helps break down fatty acids into acetyl-CoA in the mitochondria and shuttles long chain fatty acids across the inner mitochondrial membrane.
Without carnitine, these changes  won’t occur and acetyl-CoA levels may drop. Thus low carnitine can lead to low levels of acetyl-CoA and effectively inhibit new glucose production.
(As a side note, glycogen phosphorylase, the enzyme necessary for converting stored glycogen into glucose, also requires vitamin B6, and thus may also play an unacknowledged role in hypoglycemia.)
Carnitine deficiency is relatively common during and after pregnancy, and in vegetarians.

Source: http://www.precisionnutrition.com/doctor-detective-hypoglycemia

Fat Is GOOD For You: Five Tips For Eating Fat So You Lose Fat

Certain fats are extremely good for you. These fats convey abundant benefits including aiding in the achievement of optimal body composition, the prevention of  cancer, Alzheimer’s, and diabetes. Here are five tips for enjoying fat.

#1: Eat A Lot of Omega-3 Fats
You shouldn’t be surprised that the fat derived from fatty fish is extremely important for a healthy body. In fact, they the omega-3 fats are actually called essential fatty acids (EFAs) and you must eat them in order for the body to function properly.

The EFAs support body composition because they are incorporated into the outside lipid layer of cells. This improves insulin signaling to the cells, which allows for a better metabolism, whereas a diet high in carbohydrates and low in EFAs and other fats is very sluggish, leading to fat gain. Other benefits of EFAs are brain protection and lower inflammation throughout the body, allowing for decreased cancer and heart disease risk.

Get omega-3s from fish, fish oil, organic and pastured meat and dairy, and flaxseeds.

#2: Use Coconut Oil
Coconut oil is very high in medium chain fatty acids, which have been shown to promote health, aid brain function, and improve body composition. A recent study found that when Malayans ate 30 ml of coconut oil with each meal for a month they lost a small amount of body fat (about 1 pound) and significantly decreased waist circumference. Make sure the coconut oil you buy is “virgin” and not partially hydrogenated—this is extremely important!

Try cooking with coconut oil in place of vegetable oils. Coconut oil is solid at room temperature and can be treated like butter in recipes, however it has a high smoke point (around 350 degrees), making it ideal for stir-frying.

#3: Eat Butter
Butter is good for you as long as it’s organic and from grass-fed cows. Butter has lots of fat soluble vitamins, especially vitamin K, which is particularly important for bone health because it enables calcium metabolism. In addition, it contains conjugated linoleic acid, which is a potent cancer fighter and has been found to produce fat loss when it is eaten daily.

Butter also contains medium chain fatty acids, which don’t enter the cholesterol cycle, and although butter is high in saturated fats, it won’t raise “bad” LDL cholesterol. The truth is that eaten without an abundance of high carbohydrate foods,  animal-derived saturated fat is benign!

Eat butter however you like, just make sure it’s from grass-fed cows. Avoid margarine, butter substitutes, and opt for a lower carb diet for best health results.

#4: Eat Avocado, Olive Oil & Nuts
Avocado, olive oil, and tree nuts have all been called “anti-obesity” foods by food scientists. They all provide omega-6 fats, which when eaten in balance with omega-3s, are very good for you.

There’s much confusion about omega-6 fats because the typical Western diet is dangerously high in isolated, processed omega-6 fats in the form of vegetable oil. Those are fats you want to avoid, but avocado, unrefined, virgin olive oil (or olives), and tree nuts aren’t processed and can improve body composition, while countering inflammation. Plus, if you eat any of these fats with vegetables, the fat bolsters absorption of vitamins and nutrients in veggies.

Add them to salads, or cooked vegetable dishes. Or try the meat and nuts breakfast, rotating your nut of choice every morning with a different meat.

#5: Go Low-Carb & Avoid All Processed Foods
Processed foods, especially man-made fats and processed carbs, produce chaos in the body because they elevate blood sugar quickly and lead to a lot of insulin being released. Aside from making you feel sluggish, this produces oxidative stress.

Most people have accepted that man-made trans fats are BAD news, but the idea that processed low-fat foods are also horrible for you is taking longer to sink in.

Maybe this is because it’s very counterintuitive that processed carbs, many of which are “non-fat” and “low-fat,” cause cholesterol buildup. The reason is that when the fat is removed from the products, they are digested very quickly and the carbs hit the blood sugar with a bang, producing inflammation and high cholesterol.

Reference
Guldbrand, H., Dizar, B., et al. In Type 2 Diabetes, Randomization to Advice to Follow a Low-Carbohydrate Diet Transiently Improves Glycemic Control Compared with advice to Follow a Low-Fat Diet Producing a Similar Weight Loss. Diabetologia. 2012. 55(8), 2118-21127.

Liau, K., et al. An Open-Label Pilot Study to Assess the Efficacy and Safety of Virgin Coconut Oil in Reducing Visceral Adiposity. ISRN Pharmacology. 2011. 949686.

Source: http://www.charlespoliquin.com/Blog/tabid/130/EntryId/2055/Tip-597-Fat-Is-GOOD-For-You-Five-Tips-For-Eating-Fat-So-You-Lose-Fat.aspx

Tips To Speed Detoxification of Alcohol for Better Health

Drinking alcohol will stop fat burning, erase performance gains from training, and delay recovery. You should avoid it!

That said, it is useful to have a few strategies to speed detoxification of alcohol since it’s holiday time. In addition, these tips will help protect you from everyday toxins, such as pollution, pesticides, and xenoestrogens.

First, knowing what alcohol does to your body can help you choose to take action to prevent its ill effects. Remember, alcohol contains 7 calories a gram—nearly double that of carbs and protein—and when you drink it, all other metabolic processes in the body  are put on hold until it’s metabolized. Fat and carbohydrate burning are halted, as is tissue rebuilding and protein synthesis. Alcohol can depress growth hormone production and increase levels of aromatase that turn testosterone to estrogen.

Alcohol is metabolized by the liver, but the process causes oxidative stress and chronic drinking leads to significant damage and fat gain inside the liver. The bright side of all the misery caused by alcohol is that if you drink responsibly, there are ways to speed detoxification. Curcumin, green tea, and milk thistle have all been shown to blunt the ill effects of alcohol and help eliminate it.

Curcumin is a super nutrient found in the spice turmeric, and multiple animal studies show it protects the liver from alcohol. For example, one study showed that giving rats curcumin significantly decreased the acute inflammation caused by alcohol, while enhancing detoxification.

A similar study showed green tea extract can protect the liver from alcohol and accelerate detox. Researchers found that the antioxidants (called catechins) in green tea inhibited absorption of alcohol in the gastrointestinal tract, leading to less of an inflammatory response and faster elimination.

Finally, milk thistle can speed the elimination of toxins through the liver and protect it from damage. It’s a well known liver tonic that has been shown to have anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory effects when supplemented regularly.

Additional strategies to accelerate detox from alcohol include the following:
•    Drink LOTS of water with electrolytes before and after drinking.
•    Focus on eating high-protein, low-carb foods. Always eat protein and vegetables before drinking to minimize cravings for alcohol and high-carb, fatty foods.
•    Train hard. Studies shows athletes excrete more toxins in urine than sedentary people.
•    Remember, you have complete control over everything you put in your mouth!

References
El-Deen, N., Eid, M. Efficacy of Curcumin to Reduce Hepatic Damage Induced by Alcohol and Thermally Treated Oil in Rats. Veterinaria Italiana. 2010. 46(1), 83-90.

Hia, H., et al. Oxidative Stress and Antioxidants in Hepatic Pathogenesis. World Journal of Gastroenterology. 2010. 16(48), 6035-6042.


Source: http://www.charlespoliquin.com/Blog/tabid/130/EntryId/1781/Tip-490-Tips-To-Speed-Detoxification-of-Alcohol-for-Better-Health.aspx

Back Squats are one of, if not the best, overall... | Optimise Fitness and Health

Back Squats are one of, if not the best, overall... | Optimise Fitness and Health