Sugar Addiction

Sugar is more than likely a bigger part of your diet than you realize and YOU ARE PROBABLY ADDICTED TO IT. Some researchers believe it is one of the main reasons you could be struggling with issues such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, heart diseases, and there is also a potential link to cancer. According to Dr. Robert Lustig, a pediatric endocrinologist, sugar is one of the most toxic products on the market. Even when making an effort to avoid it, we are often failing mainly because when there was a big push to remove fats from our foods in the 1970s, manufacturers had to come up with a way to make them taste better. This led to the creation of sugars such as High fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) found in a number of sweetened products. Believe it or not the actual consumption of real sugar has gone down about 70%, but sadly HFCS has made up the difference. Ironically Dr. Lustig, believes there is really no difference between real sugar and products such as HFCS, as they are all toxic. Even in sugar free products such as protein shakes, peanut butter, bread and so on, sweeteners are still used to make them more palatable.

Now how could you be addicted to sugar? According to Eric Stice, a neuroscientist at the Oregon Research Institute, sugar activates the brain the same way as addictive drugs such as cocaine. Stice found that when something sweet touches your tongue, say soda or barbeque sauce, the brain releases the feel good chemical dopamine, in the same manner as if you took cocaine or drank alcohol. So each you time you ate something sweet, even mildly, you experience euphoric feelings. However, much like a drug addict the feeling of euphoria begins to diminish, so you keep trying to find that first high, which leads to consuming more and more sugars.

So what is the solution? I believe that we should completely avoid sugars as much as we can, and much like a drug addict go through a detox. Try drinking your coffees or teas black. Avoid sweet juices such as soda (even diet) or boxed fruit juice, and go for real fruit which even though has sugar, does contain fiber which slows down the absorption of the sugar. Be sure to eat foods like tomatoes, onions, or brewer’s yeast which are rich in the mineral Chromium which can stabilize blood sugars. I also believe that once per week each month, one should try a Ketogenic diet, which limits or removes completely carbohydrates and sugars from your diet. This will leave you with only fibrous carbohydrates, fattier proteins sources such as salmon, and more healthy fats like fish oil, avocado, coconut oil and so forth. This will allow your body to produce glycogen (stored energy created from sugar and carbohydrates) from your body fat. The benefit here is that you stabilize insulin levels, and can even lose weight in the process if that’s your goal.

I hope you found this information useful, and not too nerdy :).  As always stay fit and well family :).

Hidden Dangers of Antiperspirant Deodorants

Your armpits are one of the main areas for the body to release harmful toxins. It explains why when we don’t wear antiperspirants, we sweat and have an odor. Here is the kicker. When you use antiperspirants, you are actually blocking the pathways for the body to release toxins. Antiperspirants work by using the ingredient aluminum to block the pores. The danger here is that not only are harmful toxins building up, the body also begins to absorb aluminum at a rate of .012% after a single application. Aluminum has no place in the human body. High levels of aluminum have been linked to Alzheimer’s disease, and breast cancer. Some naturalists advocate going deodorant free. I am not quite there yet :). There are several aluminum-free deodorants on the market and I encourage you to Google and find one that works for you. Stay fit and well family.

Salmon the tasty

Salmon is a fantastic fish loaded with protein and the all important omega 3 oil. However, when buying salmon be sure that that its wild caught, even if its in a can (be sure can is BPA free). You see farm raised salmon is fed genetically modified grains to make them grow faster, and they also have less omega 3 oils. Also farm raised salmon is injected with food coloring to make them appear as pink as the wild caught ones. So even though it may cost you a little more, I encourage you to buy the wild caught salmon. Stay fit and well family.

Aluminum and Cheese

So I have been traveling a lot for business lately and I have been unable to provide health, and fitness tips. This has made me realize that I need to buy an IPad or a Notebook :) for the road. With that being said let’s get into the topic of today. A client of mine recently asked if I thought cheese was considered healthy. Before I provide an answer to that question,please note that I am not a doctor and by no means am I trying to force my beliefs down your throat. To answer that question let me inform you of a largely unknown fact. Aluminum is legally allowed to be used in the production of most cheese labeled “American Cheese.” Apparently our good friends at McDonalds successfully requested the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to increase the permissible amount of aluminum in cheese production. Why aluminum in cheese? Essentially, aluminum makes cheese taste creamier. FYI in Europe this practice is entirely banned. Oddly enough, Europeans tend to prefer our cheese because they are creamier. So what is the problem with aluminum in cheese? Excessive levels of aluminum in the body, has been correlated with a long a list of chronic diseases such Alzheimer’s, Autism, Anemia, and in some cases Asthma.

The only way to avoid aluminum laced cheese is to make sure that its labeled organic. However, if you ask me I think cheese should be avoided all together because its very difficult to digest and clogs the arteries more than any food. But hey that is a whole other discussion :). Stay fit and well family.

Canola Oil and its Hidden Dangers

Canola oil. I know you have seen it at the stores and most of you probably have it in your pantry and use it for most of your cooking. We tend to believe it comes from corn. The truth is canola oil is in no way related to corn. Canola actually stands for “Canadian oil low acid”. Yup it was developed in Canada. In fact, it is genetically engineered rapeseed oil, and can do tremendous damage to the human body. Because we are so unaware of the dangers of canola oil, it can be found in many health food stores. It is very inexpensive to grow, and get this, insects don’t even eat it. So why is canola oil bad? Apparently over 60% of its content is “Euric Acid”, which is a very toxic monounsaturated fat. It is the sources of mustard gas, which blisters skin on contact. Bear in mind that canola oil used in the food industry has been genetically modified (GMO) to include only 1% or less Euric acid. But the fact is, 1% Euric acid is still too much and quite toxic. Furthermore, there is no such thing as non GMO canola oil.

Canola oil is the single most toxic of all plant oils. In studies done when given to rats, they develop fatty degeneration of heart, kidneys, adrenals, and thyroid glands. Get this, when it was removed from the rat’s diet, these fatty deposits when away. In humans it has been linked to increase incidence of heart disease and cancer. In order to avoid canola oil be sure to read labels, or cook with coconut oil, macadamia nut oil, or avocado oil which all have higher flash points. Stay fit and well family.

Turmeric The Super Spice

The spice Turmeric is very popular in South Asian countries such as India. But did you know that Turmeric has anti-inflammatory qualities, and is great at relieving joint pain. In a study published in The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine in 2009, they compared the active ingredient in Turmeric, curcumin, with ibuprofen for pain relief in 107 people with knee osteoarthritis. According to the study, the curcumin eased pain and improved function about as well as the ibuprofen (can cause ulcers). However, do not note because the active compound in turmeric can sometimes slow blood clotting, avoid taking it at least two weeks before any scheduled surgery, and do not mix with blood thinners like warfarin and Plavix. It may also worsen gallbladder problems, so avoid it if you have gallstones.

When cooking with Turmeric be sure to also add pepper in the meal. Pepper helps the Turmeric get absorbed so that it goes into your bloodstream versus staying in your gut. Some doctors also advise buying Turmeric in health food stores, in pill or capsule form. The benefit of buying it in a bottle, is that it is usually combined with a compound called piperine (comes from peppers), which aids absorption. An ok dose is about 1,000 milligrams a day. Stay fit and well family.

You Gotta Love Cilantro

We live in a very toxic world filled various poisons and chemicals. Some of these come from the air we breathe, dental fillings, foods such as wild caught fish (though good) that exposes us to potential mercury, cheese which has aluminum or even antiperspirants deodorants which also contain aluminum. These chemicals have been known to cause development problems in children such as autism, and Alzheimer’s in the elderly. As a result of this I encourage you to include the herb Cilantro as a part of your daily diet. Cilantro appears to be extremely effective at Chelation, which simply means it helps the body to remove chemicals and toxins from the blood stream. To consume Cilantro daily, you can simply blend it with your favorite smoothie, boil it as a tea for about 15 minutes, or put it in soups. FYI, cooking Cilantro does not diminish its effect. Stay fit and well family.

Naturally Boosting Testosterone

Testosterone is a hormone found in both males and females. As we age, testosterone production slows down and the body has a decrease in the amount of free testosterone that is available in the bloodstream. This can cause us to lose muscle mass, gain weight, have a lowered sex drive, clinical depression, and a host of other issues. However, do note that there are several ways to increase your testosterone levels naturally, which in turn can help you look and feel better as we you age. Below you can find 5 ways to naturally increase your testosterone levels.

1) Lift Heavy & Basic
Incorporate basic movements that involve several muscle groups in your training routine. Great compound movements are barbell squats, dead lifts, and military presses. These basic core exercises have been shown to play an important role in testosterone levels. Make sure to train with high intensity for short periods of time. Your overall weight training workout should not last longer than 60 minutes. Train hard and get out of the gym to let your muscles recuperate and grow!

2) Sleep Well
If you are not getting enough sleep the body is not recuperating well, which causes less testosterone and more corticosteroids to be released. FYI corticosteroids like cortisol are in fact catabolic hormones meaning they use up muscle tissue to provide the brain and the heart with energy. Sleep has a tremendous impact on testosterone levels. Your testosterone levels can plummet 40% down by having poor sleep quality. Focus on getting 8-9 hours of sleep per night for optimal rest and recuperation.

3) Watch The Alcohol
I know it is easier said than done. But did you know that alcohol has the property to inhibit your ability to remove estrogen from the blood stream by acting as a central nervous system depressant and also by decreasing zinc levels. Alcohol should be avoided when trying to increase testosterone levels. FYI healthy normal men, consuming reasonable amounts of alcoholic drink, experience a 20% drop in their serum levels of testosterone, in women its worse, since they already have higher levels of estrogen.

4) Eat More Fat
Fats are used by the body create cholesterol, which is one of the ingredients used to make hormones such as testosterone. Be sure to consume the right amount of polyunsaturated fats (omega 3 fish oil), saturated fats found in organic meats such as beef, chicken, turkey, and monounsaturated fats found in avocados, nuts seeds, olives and other plant sources.

5) Don't Over Train
Always allow your body to recuperate adequately between your workout sessions. If you don't, your circulating testosterone levels can plunge by as much as 40 PERCENT as was discovered by studies performed at the University of North Carolina. The symptoms of over training are easy to diagnose: irritability, insomnia, muscle shrinkage and an overall feeling of fatigue. To avoid over training, make sure you rest at least 48 hours between muscle groups and sleep a full 8-9 hours per night.

Stay fit and well family.

Peanuts Suck

Aflatoxin is a mold you have probably never heard of. It is considered to be a cancer causing substance by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the World Health Organization (WHO). So what does aflatoxin have to do with you? Well most of us are currently getting it in our diets, because we consume peanuts in one form or another. Essentially peanut are easy targets for this mold because they grow underground. The mold is also invisible to the naked eye. Apparently no practical way exist to remove this mold, and usually “organic” or “natural” peanut butter will have the high aflatoxin concentration. Furthermore, the highest concentration of this mold can be found when you buy the peanuts at the store and they grind it into peanut butter for you. The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) , and FDA do have rules regulating the amount of aflatoxin allowed to reach consumers. But the truth is, there is no real measure of it once it hit the stores. FYI the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) takes the aflatoxin threat seriously. So much so that OSHA requires any workers dealing with large quantities of peanut, to wear facial mask, so that they don’t breathe in the mold.

If you are looking for an alternation to peanut butter, try almond butter, or walnut butter which contains no aflatoxin. Also some studies have shown that peanut cooking oil has low levels of aflatoxin. So if you are currently using peanut oil, I wouldn’t worry too much about it. Stay fit and well family.

Mentrual Cycle and Bloating

Ladies do you ever wonder why during your menstrual cycle you feel bloated and water logged? Well bloating during menstrual cycle is caused by the release of mineralocorticoids, a hormone which regulates levels in fluid electrolytes and sodium. Essentially, when your body releases mineralocorticoids, your sodium level go up, hence you start to retain water. Some women bloat more than others, particularly in the abdominal area.

So how can you combat this issue? Well the first thing I suggest is to get to know your body, to point where you can pinpoint when your cycle will occur. FYI, there are several sites such as http://www.pinkperiod.com/Home.asp, which can help you to actively track when your cycle will occur. By knowing when your cycle will happen, it will allow to take preemptive actions. For example, when you get close to your cycle, try eating smaller meals and avoiding salt, and water-retention levels can decrease. You can also supplement with herbal products such as dandelion root, which acts as a natural diuretic in the body. Vegetables such as Asparagus, contains asparigine - a chemical alkaloid that boosts kidney performance, thereby allowing the body release water more effectively. Also the fruit Black Currant has high potassium levels. Potassium counteracts the amount of sodium your body retains, which of course allows you to hold on to a little less water. Finally, if possibly be sure to continue to exercise. Naturally, when you exercise, you sweat which allows you to hold on to less water.

I hope you found this random tip useful :). Stay fit and well family

Organic, Antibiotic- and Hormone-Free Meat: Expensive, But You Better Buy It

Ever wonder why its important to eat organic, antibiotic- and hormone-free meat, even though it so much more expensive? For starters, antibiotics kill both bad and good bacteria, and a large number of good bacteria in your intestinal tract aid in food digestion. However, antibiotics are also helpful to humans as a useful treatment for illnesses such as Lymes disease and Staph infections. The key to correcting the bacterial imbalance after antibiotic treatment is to eat foods rich in probiotic cultures or take a probiotic supplement , in order to repopulate your intestinal tract with good bacteria.

So how do antibiotics compromise the quality of the meat we buy and our health? According to the Organic Consumers Association, approximately 70% of all antibiotics produced in the US are fed to healthy chickens, pigs, and cows for nontherapeutic purposes, like growth promotion. Essentially, antibiotics promote efficiency of feed use, better yet, growth is stimulated with less feed. Ultimately, this results in reduced costs for say cattle producers, which translates into lower prices for consumers.

Unfortunately, the rampant use of antibiotics in livestock production has been linked to the development of drug-resistant strains of bacteria, such as e coli and salmonella, which can be passed on to people who consume undercooked beef and poultry. In addition, there is some concern that the use of antibiotics in livestock production maybe contributing to the development of Methicillin Resistant Staph (MRSA). MRSA is a type of staph infection that is drug-resistant, and transmitted not by eating, but by handling tainted meat from animals that were given antibiotics.

How do hormones play into all this? Scientists believe about two-thirds of American cattle raised for slaughter today are injected with hormones to make them grow faster. According to the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), this is a safe practice. But hey, when are notoriously underfunded government agencies such as the USDA and FDA ever wrong?

Ironically, according to the European Union’s (EU) Scientific Committee on Veterinary Measures Relating to Public Health, the use of six natural and artificial growth hormones in beef production poses a potential risk to human health. These six hormones include three that are naturally occurring—Oestradiol, Progesterone and Testosterone—and three that are synthetic—Zeranol, Trenbolone, and Melengestrol.

The EU’s Committee also questioned whether hormone residues in the meat of "growth-enhanced" animals can disrupt human hormone balance, which could cause developmental problems by interfering with the reproductive system, and even lead to the development of breast, prostate or colon cancers.

Children, pregnant women and the unborn are thought to be most susceptible to these negative health effects. For example, hormone residues in beef have been implicated in the early onset of puberty in girls, which could put them at greater risk of developing breast and other forms of cancer.

So, in a nutshell, by eating mass-produced meat, we are potentially exposing ourselves to hormonal imbalances and strains of harmful drug-resistant bacteria. The EU has long been alarmed by the health threats posed by US meat. It has banned the import of hormone and antibiotic treated beef from the the US since the late eighties.

So when your pocket screams at the cost of buying organic, antibiotic- and hormone-free meat, don't be dismayed. It will cost you more in the long run.

Knowing When To Take a Break

Are you that runner that keeps going despite the unbearable pain in your shins and hips? Are you that bodybuilder that keeps doing shoulder presses despite that annoying pain in your rotator cuff? Have you lost a bunch of weight and lately its coming to standstill, but yet you keep pushing harder than before? Has your mood drop lately even though you are training hard? Do you find yourself craving sugar and salt?

If you answer yes to most of the above questions, then there is a possibility that you are overtraining. Essentially, overtraining occurs when an individual trains extremely hard for a long period without sufficient rest, and the body is no longer able to adapt and restore homeostasis. This can occur in both strength or endurance sports

There are obvious physical outward signs of overtraining, such as joint pains that continue to get worse. However, its the hidden danger that most concerns me, which is the havoc it plays on the hormonal system. In a study conducted by the British Journal of Sports Medicine, they found that a group of soccer players who were considered overtrained, displayed altered hormone levels at rest and after training. Also on a mood profile test, the players scored significantly higher on anger, depression, and tension. "They had extremely low resting growth hormone (GH) levels, which means the anabolic environment in the body is impaired. It also indicates worsening physical fitness from training since GH increases when physical fitness is improving. Post-exercise GH levels were lower as well but this was not statistically significant."

The study also indicated that cortisol (the stress hormone) was reduced at rest and after training. There was also evidence of a decreased sensitivity to the Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), which indicates that the player's adrenal functions were impaired. The post-exercise ACTH response was 43 percent lower than in control players in the study, indicating that the adrenal gland of the overtrained players were chronically fatigued. This occurs when the body is under too much physical stress for too long and it must continually produce excess cortisol, ultimately exhausting the adrenals and resulting in blunted levels of cortisol and ACTH along with an electrolyte imbalance. This can also cause us to crave sugar and salt. One can argue that endurance athletes like soccer players and marathon runners are at a great risk of overtraining. However, strength athletes and the average Joe can also be at risk.

According to world renowned trainer, Charles Poliquin, one should make a concerted effort to "monitor for overtraining by doing regular performance measurements that are related to your sport or training style and pay attention to training heart rate. Poor mood, feelings of anger and tension, and chronic exhaustion, especially in the morning when cortisol should be elevated, are easy markers to pay attention to. Additionally, a hormonal test for GH at rest and ACTH after exercise can provide a more definitive diagnosis for overtraining." I have used these markers in the past to convince an overtrained individual that they need to rest and recover, rather than training harder to counter drops in performance."

Another way to prevent overtraining is to feed the body with key nutrients that are known to help inhibit overtraining. According to Poliquin individuals engaging in endurance activities such as running should supplement with adequate carbohydrates and the vitamin C and E (both potent antioxidants), which can help replenish glycogen and avoid overtraining. If you are more into strength training, Poliquin encourages taking glutamine, branched-chain amino acids, and extra whole foods protein to further adaptations and anabolic hormone response.

Be Kind to the Resolutionaires

My fellow gym heads and general fitness nuts, I know this is the time of year that you all dread. Your precious gym is invaded by a species known as the resolutionaires. Much to your chagrin they scurry around looking at equipment as if they were foreign objects. But you know in a month or so they will be gone, and your precious gym will be all yours again bah hah hah.

But before you revel in the demise of the resolutionaires, remember you were once just like them. You needed help. Most gym heads, including myself, can remember that one individual that offered us advice and motivation when we first started. So I challenge you Mr. and Mrs. gym head, when you see a resolutionaire looking completely lost as they look at a machine, don't be afraid to offer your advice. You never know, you might be saving a life. Also to the resolutionaires, the big guy with all the muscles won't eat you, so don't be afraid to ask for his advice.