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Are food allergies holding you back?

Mar 21 2018

I wrote this blog to help people research and solve health issues they may have and to know they are not alone in their struggles. Empathy is better than sympathy. I feel your pain. Read on but I always suggest talking to your doctor or nutritionist before you make any dietary changes.

 

In 2009, I was in my living room enjoying some seedless red grapes. I’d eaten them on numerous occasions and loved them. But, this particular time I noticed about 15 minutes after eating the entire bag, I felt a strange burning sensation in my stomach as my body temperature rose. I ignored it, continuing to watch TV. After a few minutes I felt extreme pressure behind my eyes as if they were about to explode and pop out of my head. I sat up and turned to my wife, who was cooking in the kitchen. “Hey hon, I feel weird, I’m going to go lay down”. She looked up from what she was doing and with an expression of a person staring a grizzly in the face, blurting “Oh. My. Gosh…what is wrong?” That did nothing to calm my nerves. I asked what she meant and she began to stutter something about my face being red and totally swollen. At that point, my body was telling me that something was drastically wrong; my heart began quivering with arrhythmias. I told her, “This might be a heart attack. Call 911!” We waited for the paramedics (which seemed like years), my mind racing about what could be the culprit. Were all those stops at Burger King and Poppa John’s during college catching up to me? Were the sins of my past binge drinking nights out to even the score? Or was my type AAAA personality telling me that my time was up? I was scared.

The paramedics arrived and checked my vital signs, which were pretty normal. They said I appeared to be ok but they’d take me to the hospital if I would like to go. Then one of them asked, “Are you having trouble breathing? There’s welts all over your neck.” I noticed my breathing had become very labored. They took me to the emergency after realizing I was in “anaphylactic shock”, a potentially fatal allergic reaction to…something. It turned out to be the red grapes I ate. I didn’t fully comprehend how this was possible because I’ve eaten them so many times without an issue. During a follow up trip to the allergy doctor at a major university in Chicago, I was tested for a grape allergy. After the results were in, the Doc advised that my reaction didn’t happen because of the grapes. In my heart, I knew it was the grapes. He said it was not possible to be allergic to only a certain grape and I had experienced idiopathic anaphylaxis, which in layman’s terms means there is no known cause. But, my gut believed otherwise.

When I got home I took one of the remaining grapes and performed my own allergy test, scraping my arm and rubbing the grape onto the open skin. BANG. My arm swelled with welts. On my follow up visit, the doctor still insisted I was wrong. I brought the grapes in and asked him to test me right there. To his amazement my arm blew up. He said this was a rare case and he hadn’t seen anything like it in his 25 years of practice, calling all his “allergy fellows” in to witness the “rare” circumstance.

In my opinion, my circumstance was not rare. I believe doctors think they know more about people’s bodies than the people themselves; this is why many people suffer more than they need to. A lack of knowledge and dependence on doctors attempting to learn all there is to know about their patient in a 15 minute schedule block. Treating a template instead of coming up with an individualized plan. As patients we feel hopeless and depressed.

The truth is, you know your body better than anyone. Allergies to foods and various environmental factors can affect us in one of two ways. It can be immediate and without question that something is wrong or it can be like a festering sore that won’t go away. If it is the latter, many times it can be difficult to determine what the exact cause is and why you may have an unrelenting head ache, feel tired, itchy, have a runny nose, eczema, body aches, joint pain, a stuffy nose or a stomach that feels like an angry relative that won’t go away. These are all low-level symptoms of allergies or intolerances. They don’t cause anaphylactic shock and can be extremely hard to determine what is the exact culprit. Many of us just chalk it up to aging or an unrelenting cold or something else, hoping it goes away on its own. In addition, most reactions don’t stop even though the allergen has been removed. There is a residual reaction in which the body continues to react sometimes for even weeks after. This too can make figuring out what caused your symptoms even more complicating.

As I reached my forties I notice my joints were really stiff. Stretching helped but the stiffness was back the next day. I would have good days and bad days, searching and paying for the wisdom and touch of physical therapists, doctors, acupuncturists, chiropractors, naturopaths, gastroenterologists, endocrinologists–even herbal specialists. But, there was no relief; all of them sang the notes to the same tune—it was the result of aging combined with years of excessive weight lifting. No magic solution. Basically, I was relegated to managing my pain until I reached Moses’ side of eternity.

But the search went on well into my fifties–with no relief! I almost began to accept it as something I had to deal with. Every now and then I would see someone else from my past who also performed the same athletic activities I did. They, too had been doing them they’re entire life and yet, miraculously, they were just fine. I knew there was an underlying cause and I was determined to get to the bottom of it.

I started to pour over every tidbit of information on pain and inflammation I could get my desperate type A hands on. One day I happened upon an article describing food intolerances (not allergy) as a possible culprit for many of pain symptoms. I didn’t think I could have a food allergy or intolerance because I’ve eaten extremely well and clean for many years; pretty much eating the same things with an occasional box of Dove bars (yes a whole box—don’t judge) or perhaps a box or two of little Debbie snack cakes. (but they’re ‘Little Debbies’…) My sweet tooth is the strongest muscle in my body. I experimented with an elimination diet, getting rid of the usual suspects. My diet wasn’t heavy on dairy, gluten, soy, GMO (genetically modified organism) or MSG (Monosodium glutamate) to begin with so cutting these out wasn’t a big hoopla.

I still felt the same, which was very discouraging. I looked good on the outside, but my body felt like it was 80 years old. This went on for 10 years, until I was 53 years old.

During one of my search and destroy missions I located a book written by doctor William E. Walsh, an allergy specialist located in Minnesota. His book- “Food Allergies, The complete guide to understanding and relieving your food allergies”.  This amazing book helped me understand the cause and effect of what was occurring in my body and why. Learning the ‘whys’ makes change (and carrots) easier to digest. As I mentioned I tried an elimination diet with no luck. Never in a million years did I consider that foods like: coconut milk, onions, garlic, lentils, tomatoes, oatmeal and fruits such as, apples, bananas, avocados, and plums, coffee, almonds and eggs which I’ve eaten for years, would be the cause of my body feeling as if it was fighting a constant low level flu. Those items were not eliminated in my previous attempt because I always considered these “healthy foods”.

I was amazed that many of the things I had problems with were foods my dad had trouble with as well. Of course, that never stopped him from eating them; he was at peace with his patchy eczema skin, bloated stomach and intestinal gas, unconcerned with how the rest of the world felt about it. He continued eating the foods he loved. My dad and I are different that way; I prefer to live pain free. Food is not my life—activity is. Whenever I see the previously mentioned foods that was causing such pain and distress, it was easy for me to avoid. My body’s biggest enemies are: eggs, garlic, onions, fruits and some fats (avocados) . Theses foods make me feel stiff and more sluggish especially that velvety green avocado…I won’t even go there…because it hurts too much to think about it.

To determine what was causing my problems, I followed a plant based diet. The only meats I ate were turkey, salmon and trout. This plan was called the ‘Autoimmune protocol’. When I was doing this, I felt like my fantastic, supple self again. My joints felt oiled, my runny nose dried up, the sluggishness was gone.

Many people are allergic to certain plants and it’s important to keep that in mind. Nightshade vegetables cause havoc for me to (tomatoes, bell peppers, egg plant and white potatoes) and when seasonal allergies kick up (Ragweed, crab grass, mold, dust etc), my immune system is in a tizzy. Why do we suffer more during allergy season? Dr. Walsh explained that during allergy season, our body has a limited capacity to combat other histamines’ released from various foods because it’s already working overtime on all that stuff going on in the air. So during allergy season our bodies are taxed to the max. For the immune system equipped to handle Disney’s Lazy River, this is a tsunami of a problem. Another interesting aspect to research. Foods that are from the same family you are allergic to. For me one was camomile tea. I am allergic to “ragweed”. Camomile tea is from that family. Hense, that soothing tea was also an issue for me as well.

I recently woke up with hives all over my body which was later diagnosed as Urticaria. This happened for a couple of months. Every morning my body looked as if angry wasps had ravaged it as I slept. It was alarming. Going to the doctor did not calm me like I thought it would as I learned that approximately thirty percent of the population suffers from some form urticaria and the medical community has no idea what could be the cause of it. Determined not to become one of the thirty percent; I’d find the cause of mine. It was difficult to pin point because the reaction would be found the minute I got out of bed. I wondered how I could have hives if I hadn’t eaten in almost eight hours? I thought maybe I was allergic to my house or bed or even the wool rug so I stayed at a hotel for two nights. I still got the damn hives. I thought, Could it be the laundry detergent? My sunblock? That sticky strip on my razor? I had no idea what was causing it because nothing in my diet was different.

I had a referral with an allergist who refused to see me until my symptoms alleviated. Well that was super encouraging, especially since many people experience chronic Urticaria, which never goes away. Once again, I was on my own. I experimented with the ‘Autoimmune diet’ and the culprits I was consuming turned out to be chocolate and chamomile tea. I know this because I stopped eating chocolate and when I reintroduced it within 15 minutes of eating, a ninety percent cocoa bar, my body was full of hives. I was relieved to finally know the cause…and at the same time, totally depressed. Why chocolate, God? Noooooo… I discovered my body’s beef with Chamomile because that stuff is in the ragweed grass family and I already know that I am highly allergic to that. I took camomile before bed all the time which is why I woke up with hives.

Below is a list of some of the complex food allergies people may experience but have no idea what is the cause. I won’t go into too much detail here because everyone is different and it can be time consuming. It’s up to you to determine what may be causing your discomfort. This list will NOT include the more common irritants like: peanuts, dairy, gluten, and shell fish. Dr. Walsh calls the main culprits- M.A.L.S. An acronym for the list below.

  • Monosodium glutamate or MSG as it is known. It gives food it’s flavor and is prevalent in many things. MSG or anything that has glutamic acid in high amounts can trigger symptoms. Glutamic acid can be hidden in labels as glutamate. Other foods like peas, corn, mushrooms and tomatoes are naturally high in glutamic acid but they are bonded differently than pure MSG so many people have no problems with them. Added to the list are fermented foods like cheeses. The fermenting process breaks down the foods into its constituent amino acids subsequently releasing glutamic acid producing MSG. What else is fermented- think alcohol? More specifically wine. Wines have citric acid and tartic acid. When their amino acids break down during fermentation we form glutamic acid. Hence, this combo (acid and MSG) is what is probably causing that hangover after your wine tasting.
  • Acids like aspartic acid (Think aspartame), glutamic acid (MSG), phosphoric acid (Think soda pop), citric acid (vitamin C) and malic acid (think fruits) and Tartic acid (think wines) Note: Aspartame, which is made from aspartic acid is an artificial sweetener. Along with glutamic acid, they are also considered neurotoxins. They can aggravate nerves especially ones under the skin. The capillaries swell and place pressure on the nerves and by this mechanism they can cause eruptions in the skin. Another interesting aspect is that a potato is related to a tomato. They grow from the same plant. Tomato grows up and a potato grows down. Both are acidic.
  • Low calorie sweeteners, and the most commonly used ones are aspartame and saccharin. Why? Because they are the cheapest and they are just about in everything that claims to be low calorie or sugar free. Aspartame is made up of two amino acids, which are in most foods. Aspartic acid and phenylalanine. The problem lies in their protein bonds. We get these same amino acids in foods, however their bonds are more complex and take far longer to break. Also, remember they are acids and in the form of low calorie sweeteners their bonds are broken much quicker and released in large amounts into the system. Bang- we got overload, especially if you are sensitive to acidic foods. Along with glutamic acid, aspartic acid is what’s called an excitotoxic acid because of its ability to excite and stimulate nerve cells. In this case over excite them. In excess quantities this may lead to nerve degeneration according to Dr. Walsh. Serious stuff.
  • Sugar refined. This is the category for me that hurt the most. I love sugar and it was really hard to cut it out completely. However for me the pain overrides the pleasure especially since the pleasure is short lived and the pain lasts a lot longer! It seems according to Dr. Walsh that sugars main effect seems to be on the nerves of the body and in particular the brain. Can you say hyperactivity? Many of the reactive symptoms are similar to other toxins affecting the nerves like MSG and other acids. I was shocked to see how many sugars are disguised in food labels with exotic and healthy sounding “natural” names like brown sugar, honey, maple sugar as well as molasses and the obvious ones like corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup and granulated sugar. On another note– most stevia, is usually not pure stevia. If you look at the ingredients more times than not it contains dextrose and if it’s the first ingredient on the list it has a lot of dextrose. Dextrose is genetically manufactured from corn and the process is long and complicated. So read labels folks.

In closing I can’t emphasize just how important it is to become more aware about what we put in our mouths. I do feel many of the food allergies today are a result of what Dr. Walsh outlines in his book. The biggest reason people rarely find relief is it’s extremely hard to stay committed to the dietary changes that need to be made. Most people don’t want to change, accept defeat and claim it didn’t work. A body requires at least thirty days of  TOTAL abstinence. Then begin reintroducing suspect foods. Consider doing the whole30 diet in place of the ‘Auto-immune protocol’. Both are good temporary plans for healing.  I also believe many suffer from what’s called leaky gut. This is a disorder in which the stomach lining weakens, “leaking” food proteins into the blood, triggering an immune response. More often than not if you take time to heal the gut, you will fix the problem. But, this is an entirely different topic and my irritable bowel blog has some points regarding the gut.

The issues I’ve discussed are only the tip of the iceberg. I highly suggest reading Dr. Walsh’s book “Food Allergies, The complete guide to understanding and relieving your food allergies”.

The food available today, including many fruits and vegetables, are nothing like the food our grandparent’s produced. In addition, our soil is not the same and much of the mineral rich dirt has been lost to urban development and pesticides and toxins.

I hope this article gives you hope as your search for relief and healing. Let me assure you, no matter how alien you feel as you ask the waiter if your dish has garlic in it, you’re not on this journey alone.

God bless.

 

John Turk

 

Category: Nutrition

FAD diets and buzz words

Aug 24 2017

FAD Diets; what you need to know.

The following is for informational purposes only. The reader is advised to always check with his or her doctor, nutritionist or other healthcare provider before starting any weight loss program or diet. The diets chosen below are brief over views and contains the opinion of the author in some instances. I do not feel any weight loss programs listed here are bad rather what is applicable to you. In addition, always seek professional guidance if implementing any of the plans below.

Day II of my guest speaking engagement at the beautiful:

Cal-a-Vie Health Spa, in Vista, CA.

Many of us follow “fad” diets because it’s the latest and greatest craze or because a well-known celebrity lost weight on a particular “new” program. However, because someone else lost weight or had success doesn’t mean that we will. Before starting a weight loss program take into account your age, fitness levels, activity levels and medical history. Many times these celebrities have an entire crew behind them, or there are other factors involved such as drugs like steroids or stimulants. So know your limitations, body type, and goals and more importantly make your goals realistic.

Many of these weight loss diets work because of a drastic cut in calories. When this happens our metabolic rate can be brought down in a matter of 24-36 hours, and by as much as 50% according to some studies. This means your body is now burning only half of your calories. Compounding matters further, hunger kicks in after a period of inadequate eating and subsequently sets you up for over eating and binging. A real weight loss program includes all the food groups, strength training, low level aerobics, a slight decrease in your daily calorie levels, and can be followed or maintained for life.

Many of you may have tried some or all of the dietary plans detailed below.

  1. How many of you have had success?
  2. Did you have any adverse side effects, i.e., blood sugar problems, energy problems, didn’t lose weight, stomach issues like IBS or worse, kidney problems or anything else worth mentioning?

While exploring popular dietary programs, we will look at some of the most common. We’ll examine their pro’s and con’s, and also note how they apply to the following criteria:

Weight loss

Overall Health

Maintainable over your life span.

Anti-Aging.

Healing.

Improving Athletic performance and body composition.

 

The South Beach Diet

Designed by a Florida-based cardiologist, Arthur Agatston, MD, who wanted to protect his patients from serious medical conditions like heart disease and diabetes. The South Beach Diet, works by controlling hunger by eating before it strikes so the individual can stop over eating and break the up and down cycle of low and high blood sugar.

The plan starts all people out at approximately 1500-1600 kcals a day, unless an individual needs to lose 100lbs or more. The plan has III phases:

Phase I is a “reboot phase” that lasts 2 weeks. Individuals cut out carbs and focus on lean protein, vegetables, low-fat dairy, and good fats. The recommended calorie intake during this phase is broken down as follows: proteins 30 -35%, carbs 15-20%, and fats 45-55%.

Phase II is termed the “steady state,” where individuals lose their remaining weight. Whole grains are added to the diet along with vegetables, and fruit. While the first phase of the diet is strict, this one opens up more options. The calorie breakdown in this phase is: proteins 25-30%, carbs 30-40%, fats 30-40%.

Phase III, the “maintenance phase,” is meant to be a lifelong process, which allows you to enjoy occasional, cheats while maintaining a healthy weight using the foods from phase II. This phase has the calorie breakdown as follows: – Proteins proteins 30%, Carbs carbs 40%, Fats fats 30%.

Pros:

This is sustainable diet and one can have very good results on the program. It was designed as a healthy living diet with three different phases. Each phase eases the dieter into the next part of the program.

Cons:

It is not a good plan if you are trying to get in ultra lean shape or if you suffer from intestinal issues such as Crohns, IBS or other such disorders hallmarked by a sensitivity to grains. The first two weeks are hard for most people which can lead to failure altogether.

 

AUTHOR NOTE: In my opinion, I would probably reverse how this program works starting with Phase III, maintaining, followed by II, then I. This would ease the dieter into eating better, then gradually introduce them to more restrictions.

Application: This program scores highest with the first three criteria of the list

Weight loss

Overall Health

Maintaining over your life span.

Anti-Aging.

Healing.

Improving Athletic performance for body composition and performance.

 

Weight Watchers

This diet is very simplistic. Eat a balanced diet, eat in moderation, and eat what you want. The diet uses a points system to track what you eat and provides motivation by connecting the dieter to a local support system. “Members” attend meetings that incorporate weigh-ins. Dieters can also attend “virtual meetings” online. The Weight Watchers system has evolved over the years but the diet’s flexible principles have remained the same:

Pros:

Weight Watchers has had an admirable track record of success for more than 40 years. It remains very popular today and has a lot of flexibility.

Cons:

A high level of flexibility can also make for more temptations. In addition, this diet is not for athletes or people trying to obtain an ultra lean physique. In addition, the plan can be expensive and tedious at times. If you are someone who doesn’t like to count calories you won’t like counting points either. Weekly weigh in’s are a must and for those afraid of the scale it may be a weekly stressor.

Application: As with the South Beach Diet, Weight Watchers hits a high note with the first three criteria

Weight loss

Overall Health

Maintaining over your life span.

Anti-Aging.

Healing.

Improving Athletic performance for body composition and performance.

The Mediterranean Diet

If you like to drink wine this is the program for you as it’s allowed in moderation. A true Mediterranean diet focuses on heart healthy fats, seafood, nuts, legumes, tomatoes, and is low in dairy however cheese like feta is allowed.

The dieter is also able to eat fruits, whole grains, and vegetables while olive oil replaces butter and vegetable oils. The plan is full of omega 3 fatty acids and salt is limited and replaced with herbs and spices, which is one of the main reasons why it is hailed as a heart healthy diet. Additional to this primarily plant-based plan, red meat is limited to only a few times a month.

The countries of origin where these foods are consumed can be found in southern Italy, Crete and Greece. Contrary to popular belief, pastas and breads are not staples of this diet and are, in fact, rarely eaten there.

Pros:

The pro’s are many such as protecting against diabetes due to the low carbohydrate content in this diet. Other benefits include improved joint function and heart health attributed to a low sodium intake while increasing the omega 3’s and olive oil. It’s also known to reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases. This diet is also great for anti-aging as one can experience benefits rather quickly in the areas of joint pain, stiffness and overall vitality.

Cons:

Many people believe this diet is very expensive, and it can be if you are eating a lot of fish and fresh vegetables. However using more lentils and plant-based foods in place of proteins will cause costs to drop. Also, it’s really not a diet aimed specifically at weight loss. It also requires a lot of cooking, and that takes time.

NOTE: Since the diet is high in seafood one does need to be careful about consuming mercury. A work around is to choose smaller fish like shrimp, salmon, pollock, sardines, herring and catfish.

Application: This diet is most effective in items 2,3,4, and 5.

Weight loss

Overall Health

Maintaining over your life span.

Anti-Aging.

Healing.

Improving Athletic performance for body composition and performance.

 

The Paleo Diet

The Paleo diet is an effort to go back to eating how we were biologically designed to eat, allowing us to tap into our genetic potential and start living healthier immediately. The Paleo Diet almost completely eradicates sugar. Unless you’re getting your sugar in the form of fruit, and not much at that, forget it. Sugar causes an energy spike and crash in your system. In turn your body becomes a fat storing machine resulting in the body trying to rid itself of all the excess sugar from high carb diets. By removing almost all sugar from the diet, the body instead grows accustomed to burning more stored fat for energy.

Neither dairy or grains are allowed for very specific reasons. Grains in particular contain gluten and lectins. What are they and what’s wrong with them? Gluten is a protein found in things like rye, wheat, and barley.  Current research is bearing that much of the world’s population may in fact be gluten intolerant (hence all the new “gluten-free!” items popping up everywhere.) Over time, those who are gluten intolerant can develop a dismal array of medical conditions from consuming gluten: dermatitis, joint pain, reproductive problems, acid reflux, and more.

A natural toxin that exist within grains, lectins have a primary function to defend the grain against being eaten. Our gastrointestinal tract is not a fan of lectins. Lectins actually prevent the GI tract from repairing itself from normal wear and tear. This can cause all kinds of damage and a whole host of issues. Lectins will be discussed in more detail below under “The Blood Group Diet.”

Dairy, on the other hand, gives way to two well-known types of intolerance: lactose and casein intolerance. Lactose (a form of sugar) and casein (a form of protein) both can cause problems for the adult digestive system.

Lactose intolerance is a condition affecting most of the world’s population. After the age four, many will lose the ability to properly digest lactose because of a genetic condition that inhibits the expression of enzymes necessary to digest lactose. A good alternative to butter is Ghee, and for milk try either goats milk, coconut or almond milks.

Casein is the primary protein in dairy. It shares structural similarities with gluten (the highly problematic grain protein that was previously explained,) and can lead to severe autoimmune issues. Paleo opponents of dairy say casein wreaks similar havoc in our guts, and it’s true that gluten intolerance goes hand-in-hand with casein intolerance. But is casein a primary cause of leaky gut, (a condition that affects the intestines and causes them to be more permeable) or does it slip in only after gluten has opened the floodgates? Once a floodgate is opened, any protein can enter and cause issues. Also, casein is believed to cause cancer. For more on this, check out the movie “Forks over Knives”.

What can you eat on the Paleo diet?

Meat – GRASS-FED, not grain-fed! Grains cause the same problems in animals as they do in humans.

Fowl – Chicken, duck, hen, turkey…things with wings that (try to) fly.

Fish – Wild fish, as mercury and other toxins can be an issue in farmed fish

Eggs – Look for omega-3 enriched cage free eggs.

Vegetables – As long as they’re not deep-fried, eat as many as you want.

Oils – Olive oil, coconut oil, and avocado oil. No vegetable oil!!!!!!

Fruits – Have natural sugar, and can be higher in calories, so limit if you’re trying to lose weight. I have one serving a day, before workouts.

Nuts – High in calories, so they’re good for a snack, but don’t eat bags and bags of them. Walnuts, Pecans and Almonds.

Tubers – Sweet potatoes and yams. Higher in calories and carbs, so these are good for right after a workout to replenish your glycogen levels.

Pros:

Paleo is great for building lean muscle and losing body fat and has become the go to diet for most athletes or people looking to dramatically alter their body composition.

Cons:

Some studies are suggesting that by cooking grains their lectins are deactivated and their nutrients are then extracted from them. So, the jury is still out on some of the Paleo principles.

Application: Benefits include 1,2, and 6.

Weight loss

Overall Health

Maintaining over your life span.

Anti-Aging.

Healing.

Improving Athletic performance for body composition and performance.

The Whole30 Diet

This is similar to the Paleo diet, yet more strict. In the book, It Starts with Food, the author claims eating sugar, grains, dairy, and legumes affects not just your weight, but also your energy and stress levels. In addition, many people are intolerant of these foods and don’t even realize it. Therefore this diet is more focused on healing.

Stripping the previously mentioned items from your diet completely for 30 straight days will “reset” your body on all counts. If you mess up (a touch of milk in your coffee, a bite of your friend’s birthday cake and even a small serving of lentils) you have to start over from day one. It only requires a small amount of any of these inflammation inducing foods to break the healing cycle.

The dieter must also abstain from all alcohol, even in cooking, so no wines or cognac rubs on your meats. Basically, one can only eat whole foods as close to their natural state. Nuts and seeds are allowed but no peanuts, because peanuts (a legume) are a food many people may have an intolerance to without even being aware of it. An intolerance isn’t an allergy, but rather something sets off a small-scale immune reaction causing low-level inflammation.

Pros:

This will benefit those suffering from food allergies or intolerances, as well as those who want to lose weight fast.

Cons:

This is very strict and doesn’t promote sustainable life style changes. Because 30 days is a long time to go without sugar, grains, or dairy as well as alcohol and legumes, it can be a daunting time frame preventing people from even considering the diet.

Application: The benefits here span the entire list with the exception of number 3. 1,2,4,5 & 6 (I included number 4 because inflammation is what ages the body.)

Weight loss

Overall Health

Maintaining over your life span.

Anti-Aging.

Healing.

Improving Athletic performance for body composition and performance.

 

The Atkins Diet

The Atkins diet is recommended for people wanting to lose weight, who don’t like to count calories, hate feeling hungry and love meat and many other protein based fatty foods. By eating meat, cheese and eggs, and keeping bread and potatoes to a minimum, fat is lost when the body goes into a state of ketosis. Ketosis is a result of the body burning stored fat for energy. B-products of this diet are ketones, which can be easily measured by urinating on what’s called a ketone strip, which can be purchased over the counter at any pharmacy.

In order to get your metabolism into the state of ketosis one must avoid all forms carbohydrates, including healthy ones like fruits!! Also, by cutting carbohydrates and eating more protein and fat, the appetite goes down and you will generally eat less food.

Some people say the Atkins diets effectiveness is short term and that it is not a balanced diet. However the New Atkins Diet created in 2002, adopted a better version of the original diet (which consisted of eating bacon, eggs and meat products.) The new one has a better balance with lean protein and controlled portions of fat and healthy carbs. There are basically four phases in the new version.

In Phase I, dieters begin with just 20 grams of carbs a day and very gradually increase the amount each week. It starts with plenty of low carb leafy greens and high fat and protein to kick start the weight loss. The main idea here is to stop eating foods made with refined flour and sugar and even carb-dense whole-grain foods are off-limits until you reach the maintenance phase.

Phase II of the plan begins to balance the diet allowing the dieter to introduce small amounts of fruit, more nuts and continuing with low carb leafy greens.

In Phase III, presumably you are close to your goal weight and more carbs are slowly added until you reach your goal weight.

Maintenance begins in Phase IV, where the dieter adds more carbs each day until they start gaining weight back.

Pros:

The foods on this plan are appealing for most people and are readily available at all dining establishments. It’s great because calories do not have to be counted and we can eat as much as we like.

Cons:

Constipation was a concern but with the new version it has helped with that a lot. The main reason for this is a low fiber content. This diet also can get expensive with its meat-heavy plan. Critics also claim the diet’s high protein content could harm the kidneys, but this claim has not been proven. Usually problems would be incurred in cases were the individual already suffers from decreased kidney function. Many people that love starchy foods find this diet very hard to follow. Other opponents say that once the dieter returns to eating starchy carbs their weight will be gained back.

 

Application: Highlights include numbers 1, and 6 for body builders desiring to lose body fat.

Weight loss

Overall Health

Maintaining over your life span.

Anti-Aging.

Healing.

Improving Athletic performance for body composition and performance.

 

Volumetric Diet

The plan’s philosophy is that most people eat the same volume of food regardless of calories. Therefore, if we try to eat less of such calorie dense foods weight loss can be achieved. So in theory one can lose weight by eating fewer calories yet still feeling full. If this sounds like the ideal option for you, you want to give Volumetric’s a try. The plan focuses on foods that contain more water, such as fruits and vegetables. Less calorie dense than sugary and fatty foods, they are rich in nutrients, and healthier as a result. It’s not so much of a diet per se, but more of an approach to food combinations, more so than a calorie counting focused diet.

Volumetrics is backed by sound research and strongly promotes eating to feel full. A good rule of thumb when trying to plan on eating foods that are not calorie dense is to divide the total calories of the food by the total weight of the food (in grams). If the result is .8 or greater, it’s a calorie dense food.

For example, lets take 100 grams of broccoli. 100 grams of broccoli has 35 calories. 35/ 100= .35- this is not a calorie dense food. We can contrast this with peanuts. In 100 grams of peanuts there is 575 calories. 575/100= 5.75!!! Obviously this is a very high calorie dense food but it occupies the same amount of volume or space in your stomach -100 grams. In general foods high in fiber and moisture like vegetables and fruits are far less calorie dense even though they weigh the same as their drier calorie dense counter parts.

Pros:

The plan by nature forces the individual to eat more whole foods and nutrient dense ones like high fiber fruits and vegetables, and lean meats. It is also a very healthy diet. It also forces the dieter to monitor healthy calorie dense fats like avocados and walnuts, which can place the dieter out of the range on the scale. So small amounts of these calorie dense good fats must be monitored.

Cons:

This doesn’t always work because there are other factors to satiety, like blood sugar, which is actually the most notable. In addition, people who are over eaters tend to keep the same habits on this plan. Since it has fewer calories per serving the individual is satisfied for a far shorter period of time and may get used to eating larger volumes of food more frequently to make up for the calorie deficit. If they go back to eating high calorie dense foods they may actually gain more weight back. Also, it can be tedious searching out foods on this plan that are not calorie dense.

Application: This plan rates best for numbers 1 and 2.

Weight loss

Overall Health

Maintaining over your life span.

Anti-Aging.

Healing.

Improving Athletic performance for body composition and performance.

Raw Food Diet

This is a plan that incorporates eating as close to nature as possible. The theory is to eat plant foods in their most natural state. This plan was developed in the 19th century by a Swiss doctor (M. Bircher-Benner) and was used as a dietary treatment for common ailments. In recent years the raw food diet has gained significant popularity.

Raw food dieters believe that cooking food causes the break down of many of its natural beneficial enzymes which some believe could lead to the loss of nutritional value. The plan restricts food that is cooked or heated above 120° Fahrenheit and allows the dieter to eat as much and as often as wanted, as long as the food is raw and vegetarian. The focus on fresh produce and avoidance of processed foods is a great health benefit, but some say the diet is lacking in nutrients and is difficult to sustain.

Pros:

Certain foods are better in their natural raw state such as green leafy vegetables and citrus fruits. However foods that contain certain carotenoids like carrots as well as foods with lycopene like tomatoes are better cooked. Cooking them helps make them more bio-available by releasing the antioxidants in them. Sometimes cooking certain foods can release carcinogens in them especially if it is cooked in vegetable oil or burned at all. Also since there is no refined or processed foods the risk of trans fat and refined sugars like high fructose corn syrup are eliminated. Low sodium levels are also another benefit. .

Cons:

Raw foods tend to be very irritating to the digestive tract. So if you have a sensitive stomach, the increase in fiber can be unpleasant. As well, since meat is limited many dieters find they are low in certain nutrients like B12, iron, vitamin D, calcium (Minimal Dairy) and omega 3 fatty acids. Keep in mind also that since food is not cooked, pollutants found during harvest like salmonella and e-coli can be a risk. The raw foods diet is also lower in quality meat based proteins making it harder for athletes to find good dietary proteins.

Application: This plan is good for numbers 1 and 2.

Weight loss

Overall Health

Maintaining over your life span.

Anti-Aging.

Healing.

Improving Athletic performance for body composition and performance.

 

Nutri System

Nutri system has been around a long time and has experienced a high level of success. The program is centered around 28 days of preplanned foods, with 50% of the calories coming from carbs and 25% protein and 25% fat. The number of calories for each individual is based on gender and age. The plan can also be individualized for people with diseases like diabetes and certain food allergies. They also have a vegan version as well. Weekly meetings with a counselor are also utilized which helps keep the dieter focused on success.

Pros:

The fact that everything is done for you makes it easier to follow and one can pick the foods in the plan they prefer similar to a grocery list. So your portions, calories and preparations are done for you which makes it is very easy to follow. Some foods like vegetables and fruits can be added outside the plan. This is an easy plan to stick to but maintaining the weight loss can be tricky once the dieter goes back to grocery shopping and cooking in the maintenance phase.

Con’s:

One of the biggest drawbacks can be the cost because everything is pre-made and packaged. Eating out and alcohol is discouraged because there is a chance of extra-added calories from outside sources. Pregnant women, people with kidney disease and other ailments or allergies are not offered specific plans.

Application: This plan is basically for number 1.

Weight loss

Overall Health

Maintaining over your life span.

Anti-Aging.

Healing.

Improving Athletic performance for body composition and performance.

 

The Macrobiotic Diet

The diet was started in the 1930’s and centers around Zen Buddhism. It’s a meditation-based diet that requires individuals to meditate and take their time while eating. It also requires the dieter to count how many times each mouthful is chewed (At least 50 times). Like many other diets this one has the dieter refrain from eating refined foods, preservatives, and processed foods while minimalizing animal products and increasing seasonal foods. Another key concept is to stop eating before you’re full. Some other items on the list to avoid are spicy alternatives, alcohol, coffee, sodas, eggs, dairy and poultry. Some vegetables also absent from this plan include spinach, eggplant, asparagus and tomatoes. The founder, George Ohsawa, believes certain foods have a yin and yang quality and nightshade vegetables are not part of that mindset.

The diet is heavily based (40-60%) in whole grains like barley, oats and brown rice and about 20% in fresh vegetables. Beans make up a small percentage. Fish is also acceptable as are all fruits except tropical ones. All and all this is a good plan.

Pros:

Advocates claim this diet beneficial for those suffering from cancer, however the American Cancer Society does not advise utilizing it. It is however beneficial for those with heart disease and diabetes in that it incorporates whole foods like fruits and vegetables as well whole grains.

Cons:

Surprisingly, it doesn’t ban gluten which is known to be an irritant to many people. If you are a person that is “on the go” this plan may not be for you since it requires, relaxation, preparation and time to carry it out.

Application: This plan is basically for benefits 1,2,3, and 4

Weight loss

Overall Health

Maintaining over your life span.

Anti-Aging.

Healing.

Improving Athletic performance for body composition and performance.

 

The carb cycling diet

This program is used a lot by bodybuilders and helps them get into their ultra lean condition. The media has given carbs a bad name, but carbs in of themselves aren’t bad, it’s the type of carbs we eat at and at what times we eat them that is bad.

Carb cycling has the dieter cycle their carbohydrate intake on a 3 then 2-day rotational basis. Usually it is advised to eat one to 1.5 grams of carbs per pound of body weight. On the low end, the plan never calls for less than 50 grams of carbs unless a plateau is met. Then, and only then, is it advised to consume fewer than 50 grams of carbs for up to three days. The individual starts with a high carb day, followed by another, and then 3 low carb days.

The carbs are cycled up and down in the following manner:

To make the math simple lets say we have a 200 pound person.

Day 1= 300 grams

Day 2= 200 grams

Day 3= 100 grams

Day 4= 75 grams

Day 5= 50 grams

Day 6= 300 grams

Day 7= 200 grams etc.

The program works really well and I currently utilize it. Emphasis lies on good clean-burning carbs like, sweet potatoes, beans, oatmeal, cooked rices, quinoa and other sprouted grains. Milk and other dairy is avoided as well as simple carbs that have a glycemic index higher than 60. The remainder of the diet focuses on 25% of healthy fats and approximately 35% of protein.

The diet also emphasizes the timing of carb consumption eating almost all of them 6 hours before bed. The only time a simple carb is recommended is immediately after a workout when the body is at it’s peak level of carbohydrate metabolism ready to replenish muscle glycogen lost during exercise.

Pro’s:

This diet is excellent for weight loss especially for those involved in sports requiring a low level of body fat like body builders, wrestlers, and track and field athletes, as well as gymnasts.

Con’s:

Although it is great for getting into condition, it can be hard to stick with the program on the low carb days. If the program is not strictly followed, one day of missteps can ruin any of the other days where you did achieve your carb goals. The other downfall is that our brains run solely on glucose. On the low carb days it’s easy to develop “brain fog” or low energy levels.

Application: This plan is basically for benefits 1 and 6. Note- Category 6 is listed for those sports requiring a lean body composition like bodybuilding.

Weight loss

Overall Health

Maintaining over your life span.

Anti-Aging.

Healing.

Improving Athletic performance for body composition and performance.

Intermittent Fasting

This program isn’t really a diet per se, it’s a way of scheduling your eating patterns. The main theory behind this plan is that by utilizing the fasting process intermittently each day, you maximize your body’s system called autophagy. The word autophagy means “self-eating,” and it’s a process that your body uses to rid itself of cellular debris, like toxins and helps to recycle damaged cells. It also helps to decrease inflammation, slows the aging process and helps to maximize our bodily functions, like glucose management. In addition some studies claim that fasting before chemotherapy can help diminish the side effects of treatment. More research is needed on this subject so talk to your oncologist before implementing it.

There are different methods by which people fast but the most popular one is by Martin Berkhan from Leangains.com.

This method requires the dieter to eat during an eight-hour period daily. The other sixteen hours are spent fasting. Most people will consume their calories during two meals doing this fast. There are no specific times that are recommended for the fast but most people skip breakfast, eat lunch, and then dinner.

Pro’s:

There are usually only two meals eaten per day so it makes the work week much easier to deal with in terms of less meal prep. Also, the only significant change, if you are already on a healthy diet, is changing the timing of your meals. In addition, studies have shown that fasting allows the body to repair itself and dispose of bad cells much easier during the fasted state. This is great for healing and other diseases such as cancer. Fasting has also been shown to extend the life span of people who practice it.

Con’s:

People tend to have trouble going sixteen hours without food. It can be hard to get used to especially if you are accustomed to the old school way of eating every three hours.

Application: This plan is basically on target in all categories,1,2,3,4,5 and 6.

Weight loss

Overall Health

Maintaining over your life span.

Anti-Aging.

Healing.

Improving Athletic performance for body composition and performance.

 

The vegan diet vs Vegetarian

A vegan diet is most often chosen for environmental, health, or ethical reasons. The vegan does not consume any foods containing animal products such as meat, poultry, dairy or eggs. Many vegans will also avoid using animal by-products such as leather, wool, fur, and those found in cosmetics. Many vegans do not approve of how the animals are treated which is another reason they may avoid animal products altogether. The diet is a balanced blend of fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and legumes. The main challenge when eating vegan is obtaining the proper amount of protein. This can be compensated by combining things like rice with beans or tofu, as well as by consuming nuts and seeds.

The lack of iron in a vegan diet, as well as sufficient calcium absorption are additional concerns that can be avoided by including vitamin C with meals. Studies have shown that vitamin C increases the absorption of iron as well as calcium. Calcium, found in foods like spinach, contains oxalic acid (OA,) and OA interferes with calcium absorption. However, vitamin C will help to neutralize OA.

A vegetarian diet is a more relaxed version of a vegan diet and is not as strict. There are different types of vegetarian diets which are listed below that allow certain foods that a vegan does not. Here are different forms of vegatarian diets:

Lacto-Vegetarian No red or white meat, fish, fowl or eggs. Dairy is allowed.

Ovo-Vegetarian No red or white meat, fish, fowl or Dairy. Eggs are allowed.

Ovo-Lacto Vegetarian No red or white meat, fish, fowl. Dairy & Eggs are allowed. (This is the most common form of all vegatarian diets.)

Pollotarian Aka “semi vegetarian” avoids red meat & fish, but does eat poultry and other fowl.

Pescatarian They eat fish, but not red or white meat, or fowl.

Flexitarian Mostly a plant based diet with occasional meat.

Pro’s:

Weight loss is obtained rather quickly from the drop in calories. It’s also been shown than vegans in general have lower cholesterol, blood pressure and it can reduce the risk of cancer and diabetes.

Con’s:

The plan is very restrictive. Those starting out may find themselves reaching for more starch, sugars, and fats to satisfy them, which can cause weight-gain.

Since meat and dairy is limited or eliminated, the individual may suffer from low levels of vitamin B-12. In this case either a B-12 supplement or a fortified cereal is usually advised. Also, getting proteins from legumes such as beans can cause stomach distress as they produce gas during breakdown in the body. In addition, many vegetables are very fibrous. If not thoroughly cooked this can also cause stomach distress.

Application: This plan is beneficial for categories 1,2,3,4, and 5.

Weight loss

Overall Health

Maintaining over your life span.

Anti-Aging.

Healing.

Improving Athletic performance for body composition and performance.

 

The Zone Diet

Also known as the 40-30-30 Diet, and made famous by celebrities such as Jennifer Aniston, this diet focuses on eating a balanced diet consisting of 40% carbohydrates, 30% protein, and 30% fats. Derived by biochemist Barry Sears in the 1070s, this method creates an environment that limits inflammation, promotes weight loss, and helps to gain or maintain muscle mass while keeping your appetite in check. Foods like red meat, egg yolks, processed foods and saturated fats are avoided.

The plan advocates eating frequent small meals every four to five hours (3 meals and 2 snacks) as well as a light snack before bed. Total calories are kept low at around 1200 to 1500 per day; and the macronutrients consist of complex carbs, good complete proteins, as well as balanced polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) like omega-3 and omega-6. Consuming excess omega-6 fatty acids gives rise to inflammation in the body, and the typical American diet is high in omega-6 PUFA found in foods like pork, dark meat, processed foods, most salad dressings, mayonnaise and walnuts. Almonds have the lowest omega 6 of the nuts. By adhering to this plan the individual keeps the body “in the zone” or at its peak metabolism.

Pros:

Being a low calorie diet, you can’t help but lose weight. It’s praised for variety and ease of use. It is popular in the fitness industry among sports such as bodybuilding and CrossFit.

Cons:

It can be very difficult to adhere to its strict regimen of frequent feedings. The meal preparation can also become tedious. Since the calories are kept so low, some individuals may even experience a slow down in metabolism.

Application: This plan is best for 1,2,3, and 6.

Weight loss

Overall Health

Maintaining over your life span. (Only if calories are increased)

Anti-Aging.

Healing.

Improving Athletic performance for body composition and performance.

 

 

The Blood Group Diet

Formulated by Peter J. D’Adamo, this diet is based on the notion that your blood type, whether A,B,O, or AB will determine your body’s ability to lose weight. By knowing your blood type, he professes that you can determine which foods you’ll absorb better and those foods that may be toxic to your body thereby causing you to gain weight. The main idea is that different blood types digest a certain fiber called lectins differently. Lectins’ purpose is to help organisms in nature attach to one another by clumping together. Lectins, if not deactivated by digestion or heat from cooking, can cause our cells to clump together (agglutination.) They mostly affect blood cells and the lining of the digestive tract. If not deactivated, this clumping of cells is interpreted by the body as a foreign invader. The body will then attack itself, causing inflammation, food allergies and other health related problems.

Fortunately in most cases, through digestion, cooking, or other means, about 95% of the lectins we ingest are denatured thereby rendering them harmless. Some though do cause problems and get into the blood stream via “leaky gut” which was discussed earlier. This can be the case with gluten and the nightshade class of vegetables: eggplant, potatoes, and bell peppers. All these can be extremely irritating to our bodies and cause severe inflammation. Inflammation can have a cascading effect leading to other diseases like, diabetes, cancer, heart disease and allergies.

Pro’s:

This is a calorie restricted diet and will induce weight loss. It may also help persons heal if they suffer from lectin digestive sensitivity.

Con’s:

There is very little clinical and scientific data supporting this diet. There is evidence outlining the negative effects of lectins, however the theory that lectins’ influence is determined by your blood type remains unfounded. Also, in order to avoid offenders such as lectins, eliminating entire food groups can result in a nutritional deficiency.

Application: This plan is basically best only at meeting criteria #1 and possibly 5.

Weight loss

Overall Health

Maintaining over your life span. (Only if calories are increased)

Anti-Aging.

Healing.

Improving Athletic performance for body composition and performance.

 

The Human Diet

This diet was founded by Catherine Shanahan, M.D., a family doctor and athlete who believes in using food to heal the body. The plan is focused on several things, however the main emphasis is on removing all vegetable oils and sugar—the real culprits in cholesterol elevation and many other diseases. Vegetable oil and sugar denature the coating on the cholesterol molecule. This vital coating helps the body identify the molecule for either utilization or removal via the blood stream. Hence, if the cholesterol molecule is not recognized accordingly by the body, subsequently lipid levels in the blood stream can rise Sugar also causes problems with hormone receptors causing another set of problems.

The plan proposes going back to a diet that includes more whole foods such as butter, bone broth, cream, organ meat, meat on the bone, unpasteurized dairy, sprouted grains and plenty of fresh vegetables with limited fruits. The diet is based on limited protein and carbs with an abundance of healthy fats, up to 70%!

The plan is defined by “4 pillars of health:

1- Meat on the bone

2- Fermented and sprouted foods.

3- Organ meat and other specific tissue (i.e. eyes, tongue)

4- Fresh unadulterated plant and animal products.

Pros:

Dr. Shannahan is a highly respected in her field and is a nutritionist to many athletes. This Seems to be a healthy alternative to the typical American diet, and can be characterized as a combination of the paleo and Atkins principles—both of which are good diets. It also helps eliminate sugar cravings and can heal the body from consuming too much sugar and processed foods that destroy healthy tissue and causes inflammation.

Cons:

This plan can be hard to follow for some. Meal preparation and obtaining ingredients can be tough, and most people will find completely eliminating sugar to be next to impossible. Weight loss can be achieved                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   but the burden of calorie counting is something else that is a big part of this plan .

Application: This plan is falls under the 2,3,4, 5 and 6 categories.

Weight loss

Overall Health

Maintaining over your life span. (Only if calories are increased)

Anti-Aging.

Healing.

Improving Athletic performance for body composition and performance.

 

The Hay Diet (Food combining diet)

Contrary to the name, the diet does not advocate eating hay. The founder’s name is William Hay. The main concept of this diet is to avoid eating certain types of foods together. So that they are digested properly, it advocates eating the following three food groups separately:

1- acid foods (proteins and certain acidic fruits,)

2- alkaline foods (carbohydrates)

3- nuetural foods like fats. Combining these foods apparently prevents protein from being digested in the gut and can lead to the accumulation of toxins from improper digestion.

The plan calls for eating three meals a day. Alkaline foods in the morning, acidic foods in the afternoon and neutral foods in the evening.

Pros:

The dieter gets plenty of fruits and vegetables, which means plenty of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.

Cons:

The diet does not incorporate enough protein and it does not take into account that many foods like legumes and lentils also contain high levels of protein combined with carbs. In addition, acidic foods like oranges also have a large amount of carbs or sugar. There doesn’t appear to be too much scientific evidence supporting this plan for categorically separating foods this way. There is however evidence that combining foods in which their macronutrients compliment one another (i.e., rice and beans.)

 

Application: This plan is scores best with items 1 and 2.

Weight loss

Overall Health

Maintaining over your life span. (Only if calories are increased)

Anti-Aging.

Healing.

Improving Athletic performance for body composition and performance.

 

The Grapefruit Diet (Hollywood Diet)

This diet was made popular in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s by celebrities. The objective with the grapefruit diet is to eat ½ a grapefruit with every meal or 8oz of grapefruit juice. The reason behind this is that grapefruit purportedly has an enzyme that helps burn fat. The meals are generally high in protein with moderate carbs and fats, and water must be consumed with meals as well. The program is 12-18 days in length and the caloric content is very low resulting in rapid weight loss.

Pros:

This diet is good for preventing diseases like diabetes, heart disease and other metabolic disorders. It’s great if someone needs to lose weight quickly, however, by doing this it tends to cause a large loss of muscle tissue in addition to the fat.

Cons:

One major drawback with is that an enzyme found in grapefruit has been known to interfere with the body’s ability to breakdown and metabolize certain types of prescription drugs such as anti-anxiety medications and certain heart and blood pressure medications. There is no clear scientific evidence or research that supports this diet. The calories on this plan are really low so it is not sustainable over the long haul. Also, because of the high acid count some people end up with stomach upset or diarrhea.

Application: This plan is focuses on items 1 and 5.

Weight loss

Overall Health

Maintaining over your life span. (Only if calories are increased)

Anti-Aging.

Healing.

Improving Athletic performance for body composition and performance.

 

The Master Cleanse

The Master Cleanse has been around for years and regained popularity when the singer Beyoncé Knowles, used it. The plan was created to rid the body of toxins and remove excess fat. There is No food allowed on this diet, and people drink a juice type mixture consisting of water mixed with cayenne pepper, maple syrup and lemon. The cleanse ranges from 3 to 40 days, however most people rarely make 40 days.

Pros:

Most people do feel better on this plan and usually do it for only 10 days. By eliminating toxic foods and drinks from the diet, the body is able to focus on healing itself. Weight is lost rapidly and some people feel energized due to the detoxification, which allows the body to run “cleaner” and be able to produce energy much easier.

Cons:

Similar to the Grapefruit Diet, muscle mass will be depleted from lack of protein intake, and your energy level may decrease the longer you are on it. This plan requires a great deal of focus because no food is allowed. Also once the diet is stopped our body will require a few days to adjust to food again. Also, cutting out all food will obviously leave you malnourished and depleted.

Application: This plan again focuses on items 1 and 5.

Weight loss

Overall Health

Maintaining over your life span. (Only if calories are increased)

Anti-Aging.

Healing.

Improving Athletic performance for body composition and performance.

 

Low FODMAPS Diet

This food elimination diet was created for people suffering from Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS.) The acronym stands for Fermented Oligosaccharide Disaccharide Monosaccharide and Polyols. These are short chain carbohydrates that many people have trouble digesting. Once they reach the large intestine where our intestinal bacteria reside, our gut’s bacteria uses them for energy thereby producing hydrogen gas instead of methane. Hydrogen is harder for the body to manage and it causes gas, bloating and constipation. FODMAPS also pull water into the gut, which causes diarrhea. Many people have found relief eliminating the foods on the FODMAPS diet and, after some time, slowly reintroducing the eliminated foods.

Pro’s:

The diet has been beneficial for reducing the symptoms of IBS and other Bowel diseases like Crohn’s and ulcerative colitis. It is manageable and the individual only needs to refrain from the trigger foods for up to three weeks before reintroducing them one at a time.

Con’s:

The program is an all or none application, which means you must refrain from all foods on the avoidance list. It is somewhat complicated and you may need guidance from a trained professional to be sure the guidelines are adhered to properly.

Application: Best for number 5 on the list.

Weight loss

Overall Health

Maintaining over your life span. (Only if calories are increased)

Anti-Aging.

Healing.

Improving Athletic performance for body composition and performance.

 

The Daniel Diet (Biblical)

This diet was made famous in modern society by best-selling author and world-renowned preacher Rick Warren, and is approximately three weeks in length. The Daniel diet refers to biblical principles of the prophet Daniel found in the Old Testament.

Daniel 10:2-3

2 In those days I, Daniel, was mourning for three weeks.  3 I ate no delicacies, no meat or wine entered my mouth, nor did I anoint myself at all, for the full three weeks.

Daniel refused to eat the king’s rich foods to prove that his way of eating was healthier and a tribute to God. How the Daniel diet differs from most others on the list is that there is no calorie restriction, only certain foods. For example no meat or alcohol or dairy is allowed and only fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, oils and grains can be eaten. The only liquid that can be consumed is pure water.

Pro’s:

The diet is great for those looking to lose weight because it involves healthy choices and is only three weeks in duration.

Con’s:

I don’t see many cons to this plan. However, if your main goal is weight loss, your total calories may need to be lowered for longer than three weeks.

Application: This plan is basically best for items 1, 2, 4, and 5

Weight loss

Overall Health

Maintaining over your life span. (Only if calories are increased)

Anti-Aging.

Healing.

Improving Athletic performance for body composition and performance.

Nutritional Buzz Words

Prebiotics vs Probiotics:

Prebiotics are foods made up of indigestible fiber that helps the growth of good bacteria in the gut. A good example of these fibers is found in onions, leeks and bananas. Taken with probiotics they can help the gut remain healthy.

Probiotics are live or active cultures (good bacteria) found in foods like yogurt, sauerkraut and pickles. These help to restore a healthy gut flora, or bacteria.

Fermented foods:

 Fermenting is a process by which sugar is converted to alcohol using yeast. When foods are fermented they grow good bacteria (probiotics) that populate our guts to aid digestive health. These are foods like sauerkraut, pickles, kimchi (a Korean form of fermented vegetables) and are especially good for treating intestinal dysbiosis after a prescription of antibiotics, recovering from diarrhea due to an overseas trip, or other food poisoning. Always check with your doctor for treatment and to rule out other possible causes of your stomach distress.

Glycemic index:

Glycemic index (GI) is a scale of 1 to 100 that ranks foods by how fast they are converted to sugar in the blood. The higher the number, (55 to 100) the faster the food is converted to sugar in the blood.

Glycemic load:

Glycemic load (GL) is a scale that ranks the amount of sugar entering your system at a given time (load). It takes into account the total calories consumed and their GI, (GI x Grams carbs / 100.)

  • 0-10 = Low GL
  • 11-19 = Mod GL
  • 20+ = high GL

 

Anti-nutrients:

These are found in certain foods and inhibit proper absorption. For example, the anti-nutrient lectin is found in foods such as nuts, seeds, grains, legumes and beans. Activating or sprouting is a method that deactivates the anti-nutrients so the food items are more bioavailable for our digestive systems to utilize. Lectin helps protect a plant from insects and other pests who prey on these plants. They help the plant survive longer because they cause the predator to become sick after eating them. They also help protect a plant from ripening or sprouting to soon. The problem as stated earlier is that lectins are irritating to the digestive tract and cause inflammation. Some examples of anti-nutrients are phytic acid, oxalic acid, night shades and latex fruits. (See also Paleo and Blood Group Diets above)

Activating Foods:

This process is similar to sprouting but requires a more alkaline environment. Foods like nuts, seeds and plants like quinoa have a chemical in them called phytic acid (storage form of phosphorus.) Phytic acid interferes with the absorption of important minerals like Iron, zinc, magnesium and calcium. The phytic acid helps the nuts and other foods survive longer so they don’t sprout prematurely. By soaking these foods, the minerals in them become more bioavailable by reducing the amount of phytic acid in them.

The nuts that need to be soaked are almonds, walnuts, pecans and hazelnuts and cashews. The process involves, soaking in sea salt for up to 12 hours, followed by slow roasting for up to 12 hours at 150 degrees to dry them out. (See Google for more complete instructions.)

 

Sprouting:

This is a process by which legumes and seeds are soaked so they can fully germinate allowing us to extract the foods full nutritional value. As mentioned earlier, it is similar to “activating nuts” and requires a certain time period and solution for soaking. However, this process requires a more acidic environment for success. Sprouting also increases the food’s protein content as well as reducing its carbohydrate content. It can also decrease the amount of gluten while at the same time helping to increase the level of some anti oxidants such as a flavonoid called quercetin.

Sugar Alcohols:

These are artificial sweetners added to foods.  Many are not digestible and have less calories than carbs which is why they are used.  It’s easy to tell which foods have them because they will usually be labeled “net carbs” on the package. Some common names of sugar alcohols are glycerol, erythritol, maltitol, sorbitol, xylitol and lactitol, (basically any ingredient that ends in an “ol”.)

Each one just listed has different properties that determines which type of foods they are best used in. What makes these undesirable is that they can cause cramping and a host of other indirect dysfunctions. Most of these sweeteners are excreted in our urine, which in turn increases the frequency of urination. Frequent urination causes a loss of crucial minerals such as calcium, magnesium and potassium—all of which are related to cramping. Magnesium, above all is key for muscle relaxation as well as many other vital processes. If we can’t get muscles to relax they become stiff and rigid over time, which leads to stiff and sore joints. NOTE: The sugar alcohol xylitol is great for dental health. It inhibits dental bacterial growth that causes gum disease. Try to chew gum seethed with this sugar alcohol.

BPA Free:

BPA stands for Bisphenol A, which is a chemical that prevents food from coming in contact with the metal inside canned foods such as beans, corn and soups etc. It prevents the bad metal taste associated with the can they are stored in. The problem is that BPA is a hormone-mimicking chemical that can cause adverse effects in men and women. The best way to avoid this is by eating food and beverages that are stored in glass. Even small amounts of BPA can be harmful.

Sugar free:

This usually means either the sugar has been replaced with an artificial sweetener or no refined sugar has been added (sucrose).

High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFC)

Note: a word of caution about high fructose corn syrup (HFCS!) Always check labels, especially those on products known to contain sugar. HFCS is a modified version of fructose that is cheaper than cane sugar. It is a processed form of corn husks. How it differs is that the ratio of glucose to fructose has been modified. Why? Fructose is sweeter which makes it more addictive.

Of note, in cane sugar the sucrose and fructose are bound together in a 50/50 ratio. HFCS is not, which makes it absorbed into the blood stream much faster because digestion is not needed. Not only do the sugars go directly to the liver triggering fat production, the glucose portion also raises blood sugar much quicker, triggering enormous spikes in insulin. This leads to insulin resistance and diabetes. In addition, the undigested fructose also harms the intestinal walls leading to digestive disorders like leaky gut. Also the process of obtaining HFCS is proprietary and there is no public information available that explains the exact process of making it! Soda pops and fruit juices and sugary cereals contain the most common culprits.

Here’s a tip for kicking the soda habit: Take a swig of warm soda and swish it around in your mouth. This will create a negative feedback and help eliminate your craving it.

Free Range (Cage Free vs. Grass Fed):

Cage free means that the animal has not been kept in a small cage. They can be, and usually are housed in large indoor barns with thousands of other chickens sitting in feces and other unsanitary conditions. Look for pasture raised instead. Cows are healthiest when they’re allowed to eat grasses, hence the term, grass fed. Many times the slaughter houses feed them grains such as corn and soy which their intestinal tract can’t handle. They get sick and then are injected with steroids and antibiotics to keep them alive just long enough until the slaughter or to provide you with your next glass of milk.

In addition, there is evidence to suggest that eating grain fed beef can actually trigger negative reactions in individuals who have grain sensitivities.

Non-GMO:

Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) pertains mostly to fruits and vegetables such as corn, soybeans, apples and oranges. Remember when the individual apples in a batch were never the same size? The biggest usage of GMO’s is among corn and soybean crops. These items are used in many other products other than food. Foods may be modified to ward off insects as well create uniformity in their shape and size. In addition, the GMO’s are resistant to pesticides and farmers spray them indiscriminately. The best way to avoid them is to look for products that state they are organic or have a label that says “verified non-GMO project”.

 

Whole grain:

Whole grains, such as those found in cereals made from wheat, rye, oats and barley, contains edible seeds comprised of their in tact three-layered shell that that protects the embryo of the seed. Foods like white rice and white flour have the outer shell removed which in turn removes fiber and B vitamins. Make sure it says 100% whole grain.

Multi grain:

This has nothing to do with the product’s health benefits. It’s just a phrase that tells the consumer there are a variety of grains inside. The grain content could be as low as 1%, and more than likely they are refined or processed, not 100% whole grain.

Whole wheat:

This is the same as whole grain, just in a wheat version. Same rules apply. Make sure it says 100% whole wheat.

 

Hope that helps 🙂

 

 

Category: Nutrition

The Psychology of exercise, nutrition and weight loss

Aug 24 2017

The following is for informational purposes only. The reader is advised to always check with his or her doctor, nutritionist or other healthcare provider before starting any weight loss program or diet. The principles and ideas below are brief over views and contains the opinion of the author in some instances. Many of the principles below may not be applicable to you and that is why it is always advisable to seek professional guidance if implementing any of the psychological principles below.

Day one of my guest speaking engagement at:

The Cal-a-Vie Health Spa, in Vista, CA.

 

The Psychological Keys to Success:

Lets face it, most people take better care of their cars than their own bodies. Our body is a ferarri and should be treated as such! I am amazed at how many people ask for my advise about losing weight or obtaining better health and when I start to explain what needs to be done and it doesn’t involve some “magic pill”, they immediately lose their focus and move on to another subject. Anything in life worth striving for takes work and if aging gracefully or being in shape was easy, the health & fitness industry wouldn’t be a billion dollar business. I look at life this way. It’s like a plane, when we are born our plane is taking off and continues to climb until it reaches altitude, which is about 30 years old. After 30 our bodies age about 1% a year and faster for those who abuse their “plane”. How we take care of ourselves will determine how that plane is going to land. Do you want a nice smooth landing into old age? or do you want to come crashing down, going in and out of the hospital and doctors offices until your “plane” falls out of the sky because of severe turbulence? The choice is your and the answer is not in a pill.

The mind is so powerful that the mere thought of our favorite foods can make our mouths salivate and trigger a ravenous urge to “go for it”. Look at Sigmond Freud’s work with animals, more specifically the salivating dog. That is why I firmly believe that if you “Change the mind and the body will follow”.  This has been my company slogan for many years. Most people look to science to help us with our fitness and health challenges. Science definitely helps but I firmly believe success can’t be achieved unless we change the way we look at not only our diet and exercise but life as well. We can’t be healthy and live a long life if we are stressed out and overworked. One day I realized – I came into this world with nothing and I leave with nothing. So take a moment, relax and smell the roses.

When I realized this mindset, I felt a sense of relief almost like the meaning of life was revealed to me. Things are nice to have but love and relationships are what we all strive for whether we know it or not. When I stopped worrying about being successful and focused on thinking more about helping people than impressing them, I became more relaxed, my relationships improved and so did my health. A key part of that process is to be slow to anger and quick to forgive. A funny thing happened, once I lived this way I became more successful as well.

Love is the most important ingredient in life. If someone makes you mad or angry find a reason to love them- no matter how hard it is. Forgiveness is actually for you and not the other person who betrayed you or cut you off in traffic. This mentality is not easy and takes practice.

Love will never escalate a situation in a bad direction. Anger will and with anger comes stress and with stress comes bad health no matter how good you eat and how much exercise you do.

Below are my top 20 ways I try to live a healthy longer life by applying certain psychological concepts to how I think in many tempting situations relating to diet and exercise. Keep in mind most of these principles have worked for a countless number of people. Some people rely on all of them and some choose three or four of them. The key is to figure out which rule of psychology works best for you and practice it daily. Most of all remember, it’s never too late to start. My dad was 75 when he started to exercise and I know for a fact it extended his life!

 

1) What motivated you too start?

Everyone has a story about what motivated him or her to achieve success. Whether you wanted to start a company, get a degree in school, pursue a job or title. We all have financial goals and many of you have achieved them. For fitness it’s the same. People start for different reasons. I have had clients start for what seems like to most as a ridiculous reasons, like wanting to be able to place their luggage in overhead bin or run a marathon and even as simple as picking up their baby or grandchild without pain or a struggle.

The bottom line is, it started with a thought. Hold onto that idea or what your motivator was and stay focused on it for success!!!! Never lose focus of your goals! For example, I always keep an image of a video I saw of an 80-year-old man doing 20 pull-ups. That is amazing. So when I go into the gym my mindset is that I need to stay focused so I can beat that when I am 80. Nothing impresses me more than someone who defies age with an incredible fitness feat. That’s my motivator. Yours most likely is different.

2) Don’t compare yourself to others especially someone a lot younger.

It’s not realistic and it undermines your motivation. Why? Because it becomes a mindset that predestines us for failure every time. Never compare yourself to anyone. You never know what they did to achieve success. They could be taking steroids or ephedrine or other drugs to achieve success. For example; my wife is constantly comparing herself to women 20 years younger than her. Then she gets depressed and feels inadequate and hates the way she looks. I remember on one occasion she was depressed because she saw a picture of herself from 10 years ago and admired how she looked. I remember her stating. “Oh my gosh, look how good I looked there, I hate getting older”. I quickly reminded her how at the time of that photo she was crying about how bad she looked. I told her that she should love the way she looks now because in 10 years you will admire the body you once had. Am I trying to depress you, no just remind us all to live in the moment and enjoy every second.

 

3) Change the way you see exercise.

Don’t exercise because you want better arms, abs or legs. Why? Because if you don’t like your results you may get discouraged and quit. Exercise to be healthy and live a long life, free of disease. Exercising for vanity reasons many times leaves us feeling hungry, hurting, deprived and depressed. If you exercise to be healthy and live a long life, you will automatically look good. Focusing too much on diet or exercise can set you up for failure or cause under lying psychological issues like body dismorphia. So have a balance and a positive mindset each and every day. For Example; the strict life style of bodybuilding and fitness modeling caused me to be a “binge eater”. Anyone who knows me has seen my struggles first hand. A constant focus on vanity instead of vitality caused a love hate relationship with food that has continued to this day. I don’t struggle with it as much as I did before but that demon is still there, waiting to manifest and rear it’s ugly head in the form of a cheesecake, donut or chocolate chip cookie. Approach diet and exercise because you want to not because you have to. Then and only then will success be a life style instead of a passing fad.

 

4) Focus on your strengths and acknowledge your weaknesses.

Many times our negative body image or lack of physical attributes turns into self-fulfilling prophecies of failure and lack of motivation. It’s by the manner in which we see ourselves or better yet talk to ourselves that many times will make or break our success. Always find the positives in your appearance and life. Acknowledge your weakness and do your best to make them better, however those weaknesses do not define you. Remember how your negative talk affected you? Your positive talk can do the same. There are several key phrases I always say to myself when exercising and when I am not. When I am in the gym and it feels like I can’t take it anymore, I tell myself that the pain I feel is weakness leaving my body. I also repeat over and over how thankful I am to be able to do what I love. Sure I can dwell on the fact there are guys in better shape, better looking and stronger, but how will that mindset benefit me? It will not, so I get rid of it and many times use it as a motivator. “I’m going to look like that one day”.

 

5) Always visualize yourself attaining your goals.

Many people are afraid of failure so they set themselves up to fail by not practicing, studying or not doing what is needed to be done to win. Psychiatrists say it’s a way for the individual to have an excuse or an “out” when they do in fact fail. I would rather give my best and lose so I can live to compete another day, subsequently learning from my previous mistakes. Many highly successful people use visualization. For example, I remember Michael Jordan in an interview explaining his mindset while playing during games especially high-pressure ones like the playoffs. He would envision that the basket was three times the size it was and the game winning shot would be easy. He said this helped him cope with the pressure of making the game winning shot. The actor Jim Carey had another well-known visualization story as well. He wrote himself a check for 10 million dollars for “Acting services rendered” and dated it for 1994 and carried it in his wallet as a constant reminder. In 1994 he earned 10 million dollars for the sequel to Dumb and Dumber. The opposite of this is the fear of failure.

6) Agree to help a friend get fit or become healthier.

There is a saying when a dog is rescued from a kennel- “Who saved who.” Many people that have been depressed have rescued dogs or other pets. As time goes on, the person realized the dog or cat has ended up saving them from depression and loneliness. Deciding to help someone in need many times forces us to focus on someone else instead of our own problems. Are we subconsciously realizing we have  become a role model which requires an entirely different mindset?. All the aid you’re providing to your friend will help you to stay motivated as well. In essence we are subconsciously “practicing what we preach”. For example– I had one client that decided she was going to help a friend who had no support from her spouse. They both had success, but as it turned out, the helper had far more. Go figure!

 

7) Have a plan:

Another familiar saying is: “A dream without a plan is only a wish”. If we have a plan for our health and fitness that is similar to a business plan, studies show success is almost inevitable. Be sure to write it out and clearly state the process you plan on following. For example, in preparation for my bodybuilding Contest diet, I would start my plan 12 weeks in advance with clear goals for each phase. This helped me make corrections and changes as time went on so I wasn’t just shooting from the hip. I can always predict which clients will succeed based on this one simple step. It provides accountability, structure and checks and balances along the way to help assess progress or lack of.

 

8) Identify your inner and outer demons (Critics & Bullies).

Carefully take into account all the things you criticize yourself about each day. How long have you had this critical attitude? Where did it come from? Think of the first time you were ever criticized. Imagine that you really didn’t deserve that criticism. How would you have liked to be treated? What would you say to that person in hindsight if you had a second? Now think about this- Are you failing because you are taking a stand against your own self-criticism, because it’s mean spirited? Subconsciously you may be acting out against yourself for being “mean”!

 

(Try this compliment scenario). Most of us usually want to strike out against a bully right?

Try this: Compliment someone about one physical characteristic….they could have more but only name one. Then ask them to write down their first thought that comes to mind, their first inner thought or reaction to what you said. Then ask them to see how they responding by looking at what they wrote down. Was it negative? or positive? What if I said something mean to that person? You would think I am a bully and strike out at me, right? Well that is what self-criticism is. You are striking out against yourself and that mentality may be setting you up to fail.

 

9) Who’s the boss?

It’s funny how something that doesn’t walk, talk, have emotion, money or power can exert such control over some of the worlds most successful people. What is it- FOOD. For example, Oprah Winfrey; Here is a woman that is extremely successful in almost everything she does except in one area, what she eats. It’s been a constant struggle for her for years. Remember, we give food it’s power, not the other way around. You are in control…not the food!!!! Take your power back and realize you make the decisions not the fresh baked goods or the fried chicken!

 

10) Think of how you feel before, during and after eating.

One the biggest reasons diets or meal plans fail is because we become impulsive in our eating or rationalize why we “should” eat. Many times we can be eating out of pure emotions. I know I do many times. For example- In the past when I would get stuck in traffic, I would get angry and I would exit and go to a gas station where I would find myself getting pretzels and diet soda pop as a means of calming myself down. After eating it I found myself more aggravated because now I’m pissed that I went off my diet. Ask yourself before eating- “What am I feeling right now and what will solve the real issue this moment?” Many times it’s anger, depression, frustration or we just plain waited to long to eat. Sometimes, what you may need is to talk to someone about your bad day or to take a few minutes to yourself and de-stress or decompress. Keep in mind, that if hunger isn’t the issue, food isn’t the solution.

11) Focus on what you can eat and not what you can’t.

I find myself having a pity party sometimes about not being able to eat whatever I want anymore or certain foods. So instead when that little devil whispers in my ear how bad I got it passing up that pizza, I remind him how I will live longer and happier avoiding it. For example– if you are watching what you eat, always focus on all the things you like and not what you can’t have. You can have anything, but you CHOOSE not too. Never tell yourself “You can’t have it”!! It will cause you to want it more.

 

12) Use your non-dominant hand when you eat.

This one is actually good for those people who eat really fast- i.e. myself. By doing this it slows you down. It takes the brain 5-10 minutes to realize you are eating. That’s how long it takes for your blood sugar to reach the brain so it knows to shut off your appetite. Many of us over eat simply because we eat too fast and consumed far more than we needed. By slowing down you give your body enough time to register the food in its satiety centers and put the brakes on over indulgence. For example– while growing up my brother and I were very big eaters and many times my mother would make dinner and when it came time to eat she would tell us- “Dig in because I’m not making any more, you both eat way too much.” Well then the race was on and I usually ended up winning. Wow, can’t believe I sound proud of that.

 

13) Don’t shoot for perfection. You will fail every time.

This is something that a type A personality must come to grips with. When it comes to diet, we will never be perfect. You have to live once in a while and enjoy celebrations and gatherings. If not, you more than likely will become frustrated and angry especially if you are not seeing the results you expected for all your efforts. So allow yourself a little wiggle room to indulge once in a while. For example, I indulge on two meals a week. I will eat something I crave and one day it may be a sugary favorite and another meal it will be a salty fatty craving. Just remember during that time not to over indulge. A good rule of thumb to follow is to watch your quantity if the quality is bad. I vividly remember how strict my diet was for my bodybuilding contests. It was so strict that many times I would completely lose control and eat ridiculous amounts of food. After one of my contest, I was so out of control that in one week I gained 40lbs!!! One time when my contest was finished ,we stopped at olive Garden and I ate 23 sticks of their garlic bread. I ate so much I could actually feel the dough expanding in my stomach. Man did that hurt.

 

14) Don’t get use to eating in different places.

This is a bad one for me. For example, I got into the habit of eating at my computer desk. Before I knew it my PC was turned into a buffet table. Other problem areas can be your car, TV or bed believe it or not (this one is the worst). So it’s best to designate one area for eating and refrain from doing it anywhere else. You don’t want to constantly think about food if almost ever room in your house is a reminder of gnashing on your favorite foods.

 

15) Look at food as medicine- nature has a cure for everything.

I’m sure many of you heard about the benefits of certain foods and how they can cure disease. Vitamin C for colds, Saw Palmetto for prostate, fish oil for just about everything. What I try to do is look at my food choices as different forms of medicine for my body. Trying to eat as wide a variety as I can to help my body be as strong and healthy as possible. There are many studies showing the benefits of food curing disease over drugs. In fact several studies have concluded that a vegan diet low in sugar, has been shown to cure cancer. Whatever your ailment is, seek out a holistic dietician or other integrative medicine doctor to find out what foods may benefit you and your situation.

16) People are depending on you.

You want to be around for your kids. The thought of them being alone in this world would scare me into eating broccoli and cauliflower every day. So this one is simple, if you want to be around to live a long life and watch your kids grow up and then give you some beautiful grand kids, then taking care of yourself is numero uno.

For example, I remember when I was a little boy and my dad was eating horribly and smoking cigarettes by the packs. One day, my siblings and I saw an American Heart Association commercial talking about how bad smoking and being over weight was. We were so afraid my dad would die that we gathered together and begged him, with tears in our eyes, to quit smoking and eat right. It affected my dad so much he quit smoking cold turkey and lost 40lbs! So next time you want to over indulge, picture that little face that loves you and is relying on your existence.

 

17) I don’t have time to exercise.

Many times this excuse is psychological because we really don’t want to exercise. However, you will find time if a medical issue presents itself right? Diabetes, heart disease, intestinal issues. So why not start before something bad happens that forces us to spend our retirement years in and out of hospitals and doctors offices. Life is too short. Spend time on yourself NOW so you can enjoy each and everyday as a healthy and fit senior. For example, studies show that working out in the morning will help your cells mitochondria burn more calories throughout the rest of the day. How much exercise? All you need is 20-30 minutes atleast 3 days per week.

Make yourself and your health a priority before it decides to do it one day without your consent! So the next time you’re “too busy” ask yourself, can I find a half hour today to exercise? We all can find the time so look forward to it. That half hour of exercise will actually make you more energetic, productive and functional so you can actually get more done during the day. The other option is to “Ignore your health and it will go away”. 

 

18) We are role models for people and we may not even realize it.

Whether you realize it or not, everyone has a someone that looks up to them as role models. Whether it’s our kids or other people in our lives. Many times we don’t even realize people are watching us and how we lead by example. For instance, I remember my wife’s friend wanted to lose weight and I was helping her do so. One day we were at a party and it happened to be my cheat day. Needless to say my cheat day got ugly and I went overboard. The next day my wife informed me that her friend was shocked how I eat and was watching me the entire night. She went onto say that she was discouraged that I can eat like that and not gain weight. She then began to question the advise I was telling her. I had to explain to her what happened and I felt like a real idiot.

 

19) Are you really Hungry?

If you feel like eating, check yourself. Think of what your favorite vegetable or health food is. If you feel like eating it, you are probably hungry. If not, you are maybe bored or looking for “comfort in food” or a trigger is involved as previously mentioned. Either way, decide if what your experiencing is real or false hunger. My favorite health foods are the cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts. If I do not feel like eating them I know I’m not hungry.

 

20) Don’t be intimidated by exercise when you start. No matter how daunting your path may be, we all had a beginning, even Arnold Schwarzenegger and many other athletes and fitness enthusiast as well. So don’t be intimidated by the gym. You would be surprised at how many of those over grown men and women are actually really friendly and willing to help. Remember there are stereotypes and bad apples everywhere. I have met so many fit people that are extremely nice and understanding. Many have had countless struggles themselves and feel your pain.

Remember that nothing happens over night so be patient and God bless.

 

Category: Nutrition, View All

Healthy Eating for Weight loss and longevity

Aug 16 2017

The following is for informational purposes only. The reader is advised to always check with his or her doctor, nutritionist or other healthcare provider before starting any weight loss program or diet. The information below is a brief overview and contains the opinion of the author in some instances. In addition, always seek professional guidance if implementing any of the information below.

 

Most people begin an exercise or weight loss program without going to their doctor for a complete physical and blood work up. I feel this is an extremely important step in the process of regaining or improving your health or losing weight. It’s important to know if you are beginning on an “even” playing field or if an under lying health issue could be holding you back. It’s discouraging when you have been working out for several months and no progress has been made. Many times there may be an issue with a person’s thyroid, sex hormones or adrenals that can negatively impact progress. Worse yet, sometimes there could be an autoimmune disorder as well.

By seeing your doctor these issues can be ruled out with a physical and blood work up. I have had several clients decide they did not want to get a physical when they started. After 6 months of hard work their progress was minimal. They decided to see their doctor and discovered they had a thyroid issue or diminished testosterone and one even had elevated cortisol levels from stress. If they knew this from the beginning, those 6 months of hard work would have yielded far better results. So I highly recommend seeing your doctor to establish a clean bill of health.

Below are the tests I recommend. These are suggestions but talk to your doctor. In my opinion, the “Normal” ranges have a large gap for the general population, not the individual. So it’s good to know what is “Normal” for you when you are apparently healthy. Also, if you fall into the normal range but are at the low end, the doctor should consider treatment if you are experiencing symptoms. However, in my opinion, the symptoms should be treated and not the range!

 

Complete metabolic panel- (Be sure it includes a liver & Kidney panel and fasting blood glucose)

Lipids and cholesterol– Heart disease

Vitamin D levels- Bones, mood and immune function.

 TSH- Thyroid stimulating hormone- metabolism.

Free T3 & Free T4 (Docs will tell you it’s not needed but insist on doing it!!!)

C-Reactive protein- Detects inflammation.

 Sed rate- Indicator of inflammation and autoimmune disease.

 B12- Energy production

 Cortisol- Adrenal gland function and belly fat- MUST BE an AM blood test.

 Ferritin- Detects Anemia and may indicate hypothyroidism if its low. Also could identify Vitamin C deficiency, which effects healing.

Total iron- General fatigue

 Hemoglobin- Goes with Iron, shows body’s ability to carry oxygen.

 Homocysteine- Good indicator of possible heart disease and Folic acid can lower it.

 

Men Only:

Total Free Testosterone and SHBG testosterone (SHBG= Sex Hormone binding globulin)- Fatigue, muscle loss, weakness weight gain. (MUST BE a Morning TEST)

 PSA- (No need if you’re under 40 with no symptoms)

Women Only:

Estrogen -NOTE there are three estrogens- E1 -Estrone, E2 -Estradiol, E3 -Estriol  and each has significance in women’s health.

Progesterone- works in a balance with estrogen.

 

Food allergies and intolerances:

Another important component in the fight to remain young is to stop inflammation in the body. One of the biggest culprits for this are food allergies and food sensitivities. Most times if you have a food allergy you will experience more severe symptoms like hives, inability to breath or even sudden death if medical attention is not given. So food allergies to things like peanuts definitely won’t go un-noticed; however many times we can develop sensitivities that slowly chip away at our immune defenses with a low level assault that leaves us with unexplained symptoms like, a runny nose, bloated stomach, joint pain, headaches, heart arrhythmia’s, swelling, changes in menstruation or just general lethargy. If you are experiencing any of this you may have a food sensitivity or a Histamine intolerance. 

The problem with food sensitivities is that many times they can slip under the radar because standard blood tests for food allergies won’t detect them. There are a few things you can do starting with the easiest and least expensive option:

1- You can do an elimination diet for atleast a month. It usually takes that long to clear the reactive substances from the body before you will feel like yourself again. After a month, introduce the foods back in your diet one at a time and see if you have any symptoms reappear. Symptoms may take up to 48hrs in some instances. You may want to see a good nutritionist or dietician for more detailed information on this type of diet plan because it is not as easy as it sounds.

2- Another option is a practice that utilizes muscle testing. It’s called Applied kinesiology.

3- There are also several different types of doctors that specialize in this line of work. They are: Dr. Functional medicine, Dr. Naturopathy or a Dr. Osteopathic medicine. He/she may do a saliva test or other blood tests. A good book to get on food allergies is by Dr. William R Walsh, called- “A complete guide to understanding your food allergies.

The other concern I mentioned was a Histamine Intolerance. Histamine plays an important role as a neurotransmitter in communicating with the brain. It is also is contained in our stomach acid. Some people do not have the ability to clear histamines from high histamine foods we eat combined with the histamine in our stomach acid. Ask your doctor about this possibility as well. Here is a great web site that explains more on this.

 

 EATING FOR SUCCESS:

In addition to helping us be the best we can be, eating a balanced diet is extremely important for slowing down the effects of aging and disease. There are several categories I will touch on that I feel are the most important aspects to creating and maintaining a meal plan that will make you much stronger, leaner and help you age gracefully. Keep in mind these are guidelines for a normal healthy adult and in no way should be taken over the advise of your physician, dietician or other healthcare provider. This is for informational purposes to give clients an idea of what I do to stay in shape.

TOTAL CALORIES:

If trying to lose weight, be sure to eat 10% calories less than your maintenance calories. This will help minimize the amount of muscle tissue lost and will be a safe and slow way to lose weight. The best way to roughly determine your maintenance calories needed per day, is to multiply your body weight by 13 if your active and 11 if you’re inactive. There are other ways to get a more precise number but this is a good starting point that can be moved up or down depending on age, lean body weight, activity level and male vs female. Another thing to keep in mind is to fluctuate your daily calories, one day higher another day lower, but have a weekly goal total. This keeps the body guessing so it doesn’t slow the metabolism or down regulate it from a consistent calorie intake. Remember, the faster you lose weight, the more muscle you lose!

GRAMS PROTEIN:

It’s important to eat protein with every meal. This will prevent your body from eating that hard earned muscle tissue and will ensure you have enough available at all times to for repair and keep your system functioning at it’s best. It will also help you feel full longer because it takes longer to digest. Note: 1/3 of the calories in a gram of protein are used up during the digestion of it. This is mostly where the term “Thermic effect” of food comes from. It is a good idea when following a resistance program to include more protein in your diet. About 1.6 – 1.8 grams per Kgm of body weight. (See food quality for examples of the types recommended)

MEALS SPACING:

Be sure not to go more than 3-4 hours without food and try to have your largest meals early in the day or before the busiest part in your daily schedule. Eating every three hours helps keep your metabolism running high. Not eating this way will slow your body down because it wants to conserve energy. This is caused by the release of cortisol, which breaks down muscle tissue for energy during periods of starvation. This muscle catabolism (breakdown) is put in high gear after 24-36 hours. So try to eat 5-6 smaller meals per day instead.

BEFORE & AFTER WORKOUT MEALS:

This is a crucial meal to eat and is the best time for nutrient absorption. Your body is rushing to replace the things it needs, like Proteins, Fats and Carbohydrates. So it’s called the “Window of opportunity”. This is the only time I advocate separating your carbs and proteins. Protein is digested in an acidic environment and carbs in an alkaline environment. Eat the carbs and fats first, wait 30 mins and then eat your protein. Eating a whey protein protein drink shortly after the workout will help provide the body with fast digesting complete proteins to help rebuild the muscle you just broke down. That is why some people advocate whey protein drinks after workouts.

The glycemic index is a good guideline to follow for carbohydrates, which is explained, in the next bullet point-Food Quality. I believe sugar is probably the biggest culprit for sabotaging a persons weight loss success; however after a workout the body wants to replenish your muscles stores of sugar (Glycogen). It can do that fast with simple sugars via insulin, the most anabolic hormone in the human body. Insulin is secreted in response to elevated blood glucose (sugar) to help maintain sugar homeostasis or balance. Once insulin is done replacing muscle glycogen extra calories are stored as fat! So any other time you eat excess sugar all you are doing is creating a FAT storing machine.

 FOOD QUALITY:

“Simple” Sugar and refined carbohydrates should be avoided. When it comes to carbs, choose foods that are a “complex” carbohydrate and not “simple”. Simple and complex carbs are defined by their given Glycemic Index number:

The Glycemic index- indicates how fast a food is converted into sugar. Too much Simple sugar denatures the receptor sites for most of our metabolic hormones like insulin. Too much sugar can cause insulin resistance, which can cause the body to secrete more because it becomes insufficient. The more insulin that floats around the less efficient it becomes. This can lead to diabetes.

The following is a breakdown of the glycemic index. A number below 55 is considered a Complex carbohydrate. Above 55 is considered a Simple sugar.

The Glycemic Index broken down:

Low GI                 =55<
Medium GI       
=55>69
High GI                
= 70 or more (you can find this at any health food store or online)

 The glycemic index can be found by doing a Google search.

The Glycemic load- is also important, which is how much sugar is in a serving. The glycemic load has become an equally important statistic as the index. The index is used to predict glycemic load. Glycemic index (x) the total grams of carbs per serving. Divide that number by 100. A number from 1-10 is considered low. 11-19 is moderate and over 20 is high. Always shoot low.

What are Net Carbs? Taking the total grams of carbs in a food and subtracting the fiber content will determine net carbs. Most people like to count net carbs because they believe dietary fiber does not affect blood sugar and our bodies can’t pull calories from them. This statement holds true to insoluble but not soluble fibers. So a good rule of thumb when counting net carbs is to determine which ones are soluble and insoluble. Fiber choices are explained more in depth below.

What are “Sugar Alcohols”?  They are artificial sweeteners added to foods. Many are not digestible and have fewer calories than carbs, which is why they are used. It’s easy to tell which foods have them because they will usually list the term “net carbs” in the ingredients list. Some common names are glycerol, erythritol, maltitol, sorbitol, xylitol and lactitol. Basically any ingredient that ends in an “ol”.  Each one listed above has different properties that determine which type of foods they are best used in. What makes these undesirable is that they can cause cramping and a host of other digestive issues and other indirect dysfunctions. Why are they not recommended? Most of these sweeteners are excreted in our urine, which in turn increases the frequency of urination. The increase in urination causes a loss of crucial minerals such as calcium, magnesium and potassium. All these are related to cramping. Magnesium however is vital for muscle relaxation as well as many other vital processes. If we can’t get muscles to relax they become stiff and rigid over time and lend themselves to stiff and sore joints.

Other important food quality aspects are:

1. No bread or white flower. Unless it’s sourdough, pumpernickel or Ezekiel.

2. No fried foods.

3. Limited Saturated fats- however, an occasional steak, butter or cream is acceptable. These are a much better choice- avocado’s, walnuts, almonds, egg yolk, olives, flaxseed, hemp seed and chia seeds. Replace chicken as well with turkey and fatty fish like salmon and sardines.

4. Eliminate all vegetable oils (used in any way) and select the following instead. Olive oil, avocado oil, peanut oil and coconut oil.

Note: Do not cook with olive due to its low smoke point, which is the point or temperature at which it begins to “smoke”. This is a concern because at this point it not only becomes harmful but also dangerous. Once oil begins to smoke, it is getting close to its “flash point” and could catch fire and ignite the gasses it’s giving off. That’s why olive oil is best used on salads and other cold foods. It does not mean they can’t be used to cook with, just use extra caution. The term “virgin” olive oil is common. What this refers to is at what point the oil is stored after processing it from crushing nuts and seeds or pressing olives in this case. The faster it can be stored it is referred to as “virgin”. This is why they called raw or “virgin”. You can guess then what “Extra virgin” and these other adjectives mean. Stored even faster.

Additional info:

  1. No Trans Fat– it’s usually in many fast foods and processed meats. When you see “hydrogenated” or “partially hydrogenated” oils on an ingredient list, the food contains trans fats. Trans-fat can raise (LDL) cholesterol and increase the risk of heart disease. The same goes for vegetable oil, which denatures the coding on lipid molecules making it harder for the cell to identify. NOTE: Sugar does this as well. That’s why more and more cardiologist are having patients that are experiencing elevated cholesterol levels refrain from sugar. High fructose corn syrup is a huge culprit. It’s a manufactured sugar that is in most processed foods and drinks today.
  2. High fructose corn syrup or (HFCS) is a manufactured form of sugar or corn syrup that consists of glucose and fructose in an “unbound” relationship. This unbound relationship is not like other sugar molecules that are bound and require digestion, like the fructose in fruit, which also contains glucose. Since fructose is sweeter than glucose, the corn industry chemically changed the corn syrup molecule by converting some of the glucose into fructose which makes HFCS sweeter the regular corn syrup. This form of sugar (HFCS) is much cheaper to produce as well. What is unsettling is that the production of HFCS is proprietary and process of how it is made remains unknown. The fructose portion of HFSC bypasses digestion and goes straight to the liver where it converts the fructose into fat, making HFSC a major contributor to fatty liver. In addition, this fructose does not signal insulin secretion to lower blood sugar and causes us to continue eating because the hunger mechanism is not regulated properly and the we never feel full. Since we continue to eat, the glucose portion of HFSC requires insulin to lower blood levels. When the fat cell becomes saturated with glucose it converts the glucose into fructose inside the cell. The higher concentrations of fructose in the cell can be dangerous. So the body turns off accepting more glucose from insulin and the individual becomes insulin resistant. Subsequently, more and more glucose will be left circulating in the blood and become a major contributor of diabetes.

FOOD VARIETY:

Eat a variety of proteins, fish, turkey, eggs and lean meats. Lentils are high in protein and excellent when combined with BROWN rice as well as peas.

  1. Eat as many green vegetables as you wish and choose other “colors” as well. Keep in mind vegetables that grow in the ground like carrots, beats, potatoes and parsnips have more calories per serving than most vegetables that grow out of the ground.
  2. Make your meat and dairy grass fed and antibiotic free. A personal favorite of mine is Greek yogurt. Also, if you’re lactose intolerant a good substitute for milk is almond milk. A brand called “Silk” is excellent and the unsweetened version only has 35 calories per serving. Note- if you are lactose intolerant whipping cream and fermented cheeses like Parmesan have next to no lactose in them from the fermenting process.
  3. Consume fruits consisting of a low glycemic index. I believe focusing on berries is best. For more variety these are good as well- apples, kiwi, cherries, grapefruit, oranges, peaches & plums.
  4. Eat whole grains and not white flower. For example- Eat brown rice not white and have wheat pasta instead of regular. Also, it’s better to eat what are called “sprouted grains”. It’s a process in which the grain is soaked in water and then removed so it can sprout or germinate. Lectin is a plants protective mechanism to help keep insects away so it can eventually germinate or sprout under the right temperature and moisture conditions. When humans eat lectins, they can irritate the digestive tract and cause things like leaky gut. Sprouting can be done at home but it is a tricky process and if not done right can be harmful.
  5. Instead of cereal select oatmeal (Old Fashioned) or cream of wheat.

SODIUM:

I always recommend not salting your food and to be aware of food labels and how much sodium is in the product. Daily sodium intake for normal healthy adults should be below 1500mgs a day. There are approximately 9 different types of salt. I like to use Himalayan pink salt. It tastes cleaner and has 84 essential minerals your body requires. It can reduce muscle cramping and spasms, promote blood sugar health and also help to promote a healthy PH within the cells. 

WATER INTAKE:

It is very important to drink approximately 1 oz. per kilogram of body weight (89kg =195lbs / 89 ounces a day) spread out evenly throughout the day. It will not only keep you healthy and hydrated but it will also aid in fat loss. When the kidneys don’t get enough water they work harder and don’t function at their best. The liver is forced to work harder to help out and “puts aside” its less important tasks, like burning fat for energy. Instead it will use more carbohydrates, which is easier to use than fat and much more is stored in the muscles than the liver.

One more important water fact. Try not to drink too much with a meal because it will dilute the digestive enzymes. Have it about 10 minutes before a meal or 45 minutes after. NOTE: for athletes or people sweating a lot be sure to drink a 7% or less carbohydrate solution using glucose polymers. This will help absorption during extensive sweating. That is about 65-70 calories per 8 ounces or 236 milliliters.

FIBER:

Fibers are the structural parts of plants. Most are complex carbohydrates. Fibers can also be classified according to their solubility in water. Two types of fibers include soluble and insoluble. In general, water-soluble fibers dissolve in hot water and occur in high concentrations in fruits, whole grains, oats, barley, legumes, and some vegetables; water insoluble fibers are found in higher concentrations in vegetables, wheat, and cereals. It is important to include both types of fiber in your diet. Water-soluble fibers delay the stomach’s emptying and the transit of chyme through the intestines; they have also been shown to lower blood cholesterol levels. Water insoluble fibers accelerate the transit time of chyme and increase fecal weight. In the body both types of fiber slow starch breakdown and delay glucose absorption into the blood. Most healthy adults require approx. 21-40 grams of fiber a day.

SNACKING:

Many people have a need or desire to eat late at night before bed. I am a firm believer in not eating carbohydrates at least 4 hours before going to bed. That means any carbohydrate other than green leafy vegetables or other low calorie vegetables i.e., hearts of palm, artichokes, tomatoes, onions and string beans. I also feel competitive athletes or other persons striving to obtain a low level of body fat and who are on a calorie restricted diet, should consume about (2) oz. of lean meat protein right before bed. Turkey is best for it’s L-tryptophan content, which helps us fall asleep. This form of protein will provide the body with a “time released” version of amino acids while you are sleeping, which is 8 hours without food. This is a good habit to minimize muscle breakdown and keep hunger at bay. To re-iterate, I believe in doing this only when the individual is on a calorie-restricted diet. So be sure your not eating a lot of junk or empty calories late night.

VITAMINS & SUPPLEMENTS:

I am not a big believer in taking vitamins if you are healthy and under 40 years of age. Vitamins are needed in small amounts and minerals even less. Some vitamins, if taken in excess, such as Vitamins A, D, and E & K are harmful to the liver. Too much Vit B6 (More than 600mg/day) can cause loss of sensation in peripheral nerves. Too much Vit D can cause excessive Calcium deposits.

There are two kinds vitamins, water soluble and fat-soluble. Fat-soluble are stored in our bodies adipose tissue so they are easier to overuse and become dangerous, especially to organs like the liver. As we age our digestive systems are not as efficient due to aging, poor diets, antibiotics, prescription drugs, alcohol and other environmental factors. So supplements, if taken wisely under a knowledgeable professional, can be a good addition, especially a good protein supplement or bar. If you are one of those people that must eat on the run, it’s important to remember, protein supplements ARE NOT meant to be meal replacements and only to be used as a supplement to your regular diet. If you have a poor diet or have been advised to by a Nutritionist, Dietician or Physician or you are involved in a vigorous exercise program, I believe supplements have their place and can be a good addition to a healthy lifestyle.

More below on supplements.

AS ALWAYS CHECK WITH YOUR DOCTOR BEFORE TAKING ANYTHING, ESPECIALLY IF YOUR HAVING SURGERY or PREGNANT!!!!! Supplements are not regulated so many times you are not getting what is reported on the label in product strength, contents or quality. The following recommendations are for informational purposes and in no way should be adopted or applied unless discussed with your physician.

Supplement RULES: SERIOUS BUSINESS.

1) ALWAYS, check with your doctor or other healthcare provider before taking any supplements: See a D.O. (Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine)

2) May interfere with Surgeries, Medications, or other procedures. For example:

  1. Fish oil & gingko biloba- inhibit Clotting.
  2. Grapefruit- can endanger a person taking medication because it blocks the enzyme your body uses to break down certain drugs. In turn the body can reach toxic levels of the medication. Not just grapefruit but other citrus fruits like limes and others. The medication list is long but involves cholesterol meds, anti anxiety drugs, blood pressure meds and ones that fight infections to name a few.

3) Be careful not to “Double Dip”- Extra accidently taken- i.e. two supplements have the same thing in it.

4) Be sure to read labels for food and other allergies you may have.

5) Be sure to follow the dosage instructions on the labels.

6) As I mentioned earlier the supplement industry is not regulated. So it is a good idea to check the reliability or quality of the supplement you want to invest in by going to the following web site- https://www.consumerlab.com. There you can learn about products, testing results, warnings, where to buy it, reviews and the latest news as well.

CATEGORIES OF SUPPLEMENTS:

METHODS OF APPLICATION:

-Rubbed on

-Orally

-Sublingual

-Injected

-inhaled

 

TYPES:

-Pro-hormones- Precursors for actual hormones, i.e. Mark McGuire-Adrostennedione

-Anti-oxidant’s- prevents cell membrane oxidation. Cut open an apple and squeeze a lemon on it.

-Vitamins- Water-soluble & fat-soluble.

-Minerals- Usually metals like zinc, copper, iron etc.

-Herbs- Plant sources in which many drugs are made from i.e. The salicin in willow bark converts to salicylic acid which is what aspirin is made from.

 

BOOKS:

Herbalism, Nutrition almanac, Deep nutrition, Sports Nutrition.

 

The supplements below are currently used by the medical community and have proven health benefits.

 

* Co Q10- Heart health, helps create energy. Must be taken if you are on statin drugs such as cholesterol lowering meds.

* Vitamin & Mineral- Food based, no “Mega formulas”. Usually for pre-natal.

* Vitamin D3- Bones, immune system.

* Omega 3 (DHA / EPA) – Mental health, heart and inflammation and also thins the blood.

* Trans resveratrol – Knotweed and Red wine. Good for anti aging.

* Turmeric-(Curcumin)- Gives mustard it’s yellow color. This is a CO2 inhibitor like Ibuprophen for inflammation. It’s natural though.

* Magnesium- Help relax muscles and most Americans are deficient. –sublingual Magnesium Citrate is my favorite or a powdered version called- Calm.

* Probiotics- Heal intestinal dysbiosis as well as fermented foods (Immune system)

 

Good luck and I hope this helps

 

 

John

 

 

Category: Nutrition, View All

The best way to get lean and ripped! Eat like a diabetic.

Jul 21 2015

Please note before reading this. What I have outlined here is for informational purposes so the reader can be more informed and not self diagnose themselves. Also it is intended for healthy adults and in no way to be taken over the advise of your doctor or other healthcare provider. Remember be safe and consult with your physician especially if you are under their care.

It’s 11:55am and I’m watching every second on the clock tick away as the teacher talks away, like scene from Charlie Brown. For a 9-year-old boy, lunchtime was the highlight of my day. We had an hour break and I was a 10-minute walk from home. Ten minutes too long when it meant cutting into my precious time spent at the local convenient store deciding which sugary delight I would spend my paper route money on. Would it be Red Hot dog gum? Charleston Chew? Kit Kat? Or a Three Musketeers bar? If I had enough money I would buy them all and eat it in less five minutes.
“So Red Hot dog gum it is.”
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I remember buying a pack of thirty. By the time I returned to school I had a red ring around my mouth compelling people to wonder what exactly happened on my “lunch break”.

Fortunately for me, my little candy run was a 2.5-mile round trip and most of the sugar I’d eat would get me too and from the store. It was good thing my parents didn’t buy much junk food either. I grew up on yogurt, rice, eggs, meat, dairy and a few vegetables here and there. If I had my way, every day would have been Halloween.

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I remember one of my fellow classmates always smelling like he had alcohol on his breathe and I would ask him why he “stunk” and he said, “because I’m a diabetic”. What the heck is that I would ask? I remember him sticking his fingers with pins quite often but most of the time he was excused from class to go to the nurse’s office for his injections. I use too think, “Wow, he’s so lucky he gets out of class”. When I look back, I’m glad I never got my wish. One time I remember Henry had passed out in school and none of us knew what the heck was going on but we all had an idea it was pretty serious.

Many people often wonder what’s the secret to getting a super lean body. It all boils down to one thing. Blood sugar control! If maintained properly and combined with exercise, we can all have the body of a Greek god. However, if left unchecked, blood sugar problems can be a person’s worst nightmare in the form of diabetes and body fat. Diabetes requires constant attention, is unpleasant, inconvenient, uncomfortable and most of all life changing and life threatening. The funny thing, type II diabetes is the most preventable of all debilitating diseases. If the diabetic plays the sugar game right, they can have a phenomenal body and maintain great health. Follow a diabetic around for a day and you would think twice about those Krispy Kreme donuts!

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The number of diabetes cases per year is increasing at an alarming rate, especially type II or adult onset diabetes. Type II makes up approximately 90% of all the cases of diabetes, which is usually caused by excessive weight gain. If your body mass index (BMI) is 30 or higher you are at risk. Here’s a link to see where yours is. You will need a tape measure handy.
Type II is preventable and can be managed well with diet. However, if left unchecked for too long the individual will require regular injections of insulin several times a day.

In the past it normally affected over weight adults age forty and up, but that’s not the case any more. With the amount of processed foods, saturated fats and high fructose corn syrup children are consuming, as well as limited exercise from the computer generation, that age has now been lowered to include teens and in rare cases adolescence.

The other form of diabetes is type I, which usually effects adolescents and requires insulin injections from the onset. In children it’s caused by an autoimmune disorder in which the bodies immune system attacks and destroys the beta cells in the pancreas, which are responsible for producing insulin. Exactly why this happens is unknown but some researchers believe there may be an environmental link like pollution, chemicals or other outside influences like severe viral infections and food sensitivity. So with type I, your body cannot make insulin and with type II the insulin you have becomes insufficient from years of eating poorly. When too many sugary foods are eaten your body keeps producing insulin and eventually it begins to lose its effect overtime and before you know it you’re a type II diabetic.

So why is glucose management so important? First off, it’s important to know that most tissues in the body can convert non-carbohydrate sources (Fat and protein) into useable energy or glucose, through a process called gluconeogenesis. There are only two tissues in the body that are independent from insulin and do not perform gluconeogenesis. They are the brain and Red blood cells. That’s why blood sugar has life or death consequences and is not to be taken lightly.
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So lets get back to getting ripped and the diabetic. First and foremost, I can’t stress how important exercise is. There’s a phrase that rings so true which is, “movement is life” and without it -you will die!!! I don’t care if you eat the best food in the world 24/7, if you lay around all day eventually your body will breakdown and fail. Think of this way, when you exercise your body is continually thinking about getting better, an anabolic state. When you don’t exercise your body shifts to breaking down or becoming a catabolic state and you guessed it- aging.

Now I’m not saying diet isn’t important by all means it is, but exercise will help your body manage your blood sugar when your insulin has become insufficient from years of “Red Hots”… so to speak. In addition, the mitochondria (the power house of the cell) in your muscles becomes more efficient at burning energy and they too will take a load off that blood glucose level your trying ever so hard to keep at or under 100. Glucose is stored in the liver as glycogen as well as skeletal muscle. Extra muscle tissue means the body is capable of storing more glucose/ glycogen in the form of glycogen. Get it??

So what does that mean, more muscle better blood sugar management at rest. Combine that with a low glycemic diet consisting of vegetables, very lean meats like skinless boneless chicken breast, fish, turkey and eggs as well as good fats consisting of olives, avocados, walnuts, brazil nuts, almonds and seeds like Hemp, Chia and Sun flower. I can almost guarantee your type II diabetes over time will be gone and those abs will start peeking through in no time! How can I say that? Because I’ve seen it happen.
Case in point;
One of my clients, a great guy named Jim, came to me on the verge of diabetes. He had was what termed pre-diabetes. That meant his fasting blood sugar levels were from 100-125mg/dl. The ironic aspect of it all is that Jim was a pharmaceutical sales rep at the time and one of the drugs he sold was used to help manage diabetes. Over time Jim went from 250lbs down to a 175lb lean, mean fighting machine, full of chicken and vegetables. Jim and I were discussing how his new lifestyle prevented his diabetes and he is now in excellent physical health. His journey became a life altering and Jim no longer sells his diabetes medication. He feels it’s a preventable and curable disease and he no longer feels right having people use it.

So what can one do to start a new healthy life style on their way to curing their type II diabetes and having abs like granite? I won’t go into the debilitating health consequences this disease has because most people reading this already know. So I want to make my focus on how to manage it and prevent it with diet and how this way of eating can help you get in the best shape of your life as well as manage your diabetes better.
Below I have outlined the keys to success:

1) Exercise:
Your exercise routine should consist of at least forty-minutes of resistance exercise performed 3-4 days a week minimum. It should be resistance training combined with high intensity interval cardio respiratory work lasting 15-20 mins total. This type of workout needs detailed explaining, so I think it would be worth the investment to hire a good personal trainer and get you started.

2) Nutrition:
The number one goal with nutrition is to allow your body to become insulin sensitive again. That means minimizing the amount of sugar that goes into your body that causes the largest increase in insulin production. Right now if you’re a Type II diabetic you probably have insulin running through your system but your bodies receptors have been switched off so to speak. Your goal is to turn them back on so they can become sensitive to insulin again.

So First and foremost EVERY diabetic or fitness enthusiast needs to become familiar with the Glycemic index of food. A number that every food is given in relation to how fast it turns into sugar in the blood stream. The numbers go from 0-100; table sugar and white bread are 100 as well as a white potato. Shoot for numbers below 50 in everything you eat. How do you do that? Glycemic index

Another important aspect is the Glycemic load of the food your eating or GL. The GI (Glycemic index) is the quality and Glycemic load or GL is the amount. Your GL is calculated by taking the foods Glycemic index and multiplying it by the number of carbohydrate grams in the serving size you’re having. Then dividing that number by 100 and you now have your Glycemic load. 50GI x 24gms serv.= 1200 / 100= 12 GL

If you are a type II diabetic or trying to get lean your GL per meal should not exceed 15 if your under 200lbs and 20 if your over 200lbs. Obviously if the food you’re eating has a GI lower than 50 you can eat more carbs per day.
I am also a firm believer that if you are a type II diabetic certain foods, additives and circumstances can also be detrimental to your weight loss and healing. They are:

Dairy products:
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In adults, dairy products can cause a person to over produce mucous in the intestines. This in turn can “gum up” the digestive tract causing problems with nutrient absorption. Dairy also contains lactose, which in many cases people are intolerant too. Not actually allergic but intolerant and they don’t even know it. Does your nose always run? Do you have gas or bloating? Is your mind always foggy? These are some of the signs of food intolerance. Intolerance seems so miniscule but in all actuality it’s like a “dripping faucet” to your immune system, which eventually weakens your entire body leaving you susceptible to other ailments. Your liver goes on overdrive trying to cleanse the body and forgets doing the less important jobs like burning fat.
Also another possible underlying theory by researchers is that milk may contribute to type I diabetes in adolescence. Cows milk contains a protein called bovine serum albumin and bovine insulin. The difference between human insulin and bovine insulin found in cow’s milk is very slight; only three amino acids make them distinct from one another. If the body develops an immune response to bovine insulin found in cows milk it may also develop and immune response by creating anti-bodies to your own insulin. The child’s own immune system then attacks its beta cells in the pancreas, which produce insulin subsequently causing diabetes.

Gluten:
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This is the major protein component in wheat, rye and barley. Like dairy, gluten can also trigger an immune response from your own body to attack itself. When this happens a person has a disease called Celiac. Studies show that kids with celiac disease are at a higher risk of developing type I diabetes. Many people are gluten intolerant (not allergic) and don’t even realize it. Like the dairy scenario, this low level assault on your stomach can wreak havoc on your immune system over time and weaken it.

Fruits:
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I believe fruit should be limited to only after your workout, if you must have it at all. Especially one’s like watermelon, cantaloupe and honeydew. They too have a higher than normal glycemic index. If you must eat fruit stick to Berries of any kind – cranberries, blueberries, raspberries etc. or peaches, apples, plums, cherries and nectarines. These fruits are also high in what are called “Flavonoids” which help battle the complications diabetes has on the vascular system and retina of the eyes.

Caffeine:
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Caffeine is classified as a drug and the problem with that is many times coffee or tea drinkers over do it. If you are a diabetic you are probably experiencing some mild form of kidney or cardiac issues, especially in regards to blood pressure. Too much caffeine amping up your heart when it is already taxed and you may develop a case of Atrial fibrillation. A life threatening irregular heartbeat that can cause a stroke. What a horrible way to spend the rest of your life.

Artificial sweeteners:
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As much as you think your doing yourself a favor by loading up on one of the three colors of the artificial rainbow, your actually doing yourself far more harm than good. First and foremost artificial sweeteners are chemicals and they cause the liver stress, the organ most important in fat utilization. They also trick the body into thinking its getting sugar. But is it really the magician we think it is? Artificial sweeteners actually do have calories in them. If a food substitute has less than 1 calorie per serving they can call it sugar free or calorie free. So what some of these companies do is make the serving size smaller so it fits the qualifications of calorie or sugar free. In addition, your body learns to load up sweet alternatives “tricking” it into thinking sweets are ok so your body will crave them more even though your not consuming sugar. What a tease!!!!!

Pregnancy:
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Ladies beware, there is a form of diabetes that makes up about 4% of the cases and it’s called gestational diabetes and it occurs more frequently in African American women, Hispanic, and American Indian females. This is usually caused by excessive weight gain during pregnancy.
So “hot mama’s” it’s a good idea to drop the mentality that you are “eating for two” when you’re pregnant! You really only need about 350 extra calories a day to sustain a growing fetus. Remember, babies come out weighing only 7-11lbs. Hardly enough to claim your eating for two.
Another good practice is to breast feed your babies. This helps them get all the vital nutrients and antibodies their growing little systems need. Most of a baby’s immune system develops in the stomach, which is why breast milk is so important. It provides many of the immune properties to help fight off bacterial and intestinal viral infections as well reducing the risk of food allergies.

Nitrates:
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Nitrates keep food from spoiling and are found in cured meats like beef jerky, hot dogs and bacon. If you look on most cured meat packages you will see vitamin C has been added. This helps prevent the formation of nitrosamines, which are known to cause diabetes in animals. The USDA actually requires the addition of vitamin C in all processed meat products.
Nitrates are also found in areas where there is a lot of farming due to the run off of fertilizer, which has a high nitrate concentration. So if you are in a farming area water contamination is something you should be aware of.
The take away. Don’t feed your kids these foods and be sure to have a good water filtration system in your home.

Stress:
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It’s important to keep your stress levels low. When you get stressed out your adrenal glands secrete adrenalin along with cortisol which helps raise blood sugar for your fight or flight response. Not good for a diabetic or someone trying to lose body fat. For the fitness enthusiast high blood sugar means the fat making machine “insulin” has been turned on. Cortisol also makes that insulin less effective, meaning more has to be secreted.
Stress also depletes the bodies B-vitamins, which are vital for glucose metabolism and also for helping the effects of nerve damage from diabetes.

So now that I have stripped you of your food identity what exactly can one do?
In the beginning, I would avoid all grains and certain root vegetables such as white potatoes, parsnips and beets. They have a relatively high glycemic index. Add lean meats as stated above as well as nuts and seeds and other good fats like avocados, olives, omega three fats (EPA & DHA) and egg yolks. They all help reduce inflammation.

In general your diet should consist of foods like, beans, seeds, nuts and vegetables especially your cruciferous ones like broccoli, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts. Other good choices are any green leafy vegetables as well as asparagus and zucchini.
Certain vegetables and fruits I mentioned are vital because most contain what’s called soluble fiber. Unlike insoluble fiber, which provides bulk for our stools (So we guys can get our reading in) soluble fiber helps manage blood sugar by slowing digestion, subsequently sugar is not absorbed as fast into the blood stream. Soluble fiber also makes tissues (vital for storage of glycogen such as muscle and the liver) more sensitive to insulin. Your total daily fiber intake should be between 20-45 grms per day.
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Note: If you are having trouble adding fiber to your diet a good supplemental version of soluble fiber is one called glucomannan. When taken with water it forms a gel like substance in the intestines and slows absorption of sugar. Most health food stores carry it and it’s great for after meal glucose management.

So what about Supplements?
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I don’t believe in using supplements much but in the case of diabetics and blood glucose management it is an important tool in fighting the disease as well as staying lean. I have purposely left out dosing information and timing because It’s a good idea to seek help from a good naturopathic doctor who can lay out an entire program for you. What I am providing below is for informational purposes so you know what questions to ask the doctor when you see them.

Chromium– it comes in two forms- picolinate and nicotinate, a niacin based version. Without chromium the action of insulin is blocked, subsequently raising your sugar levels. This is especially important in persons with a chromium deficiency.
The niacin or nicotinate version is believed to be the better one because together with chromium they make up what’s called the GTF or glucose tolerance factor.

Vitamin C– Insulin helps carry vitamin C into cells. Bad insulin means bad vitamin C absorption- cough…cough!!!

Magnesium– Studies have shown that most diabetics are deficient in magnesium as well as a large number of the general population. Diabetics many times suffer from stiff muscles and joints as well. Magnesium relaxes muscles as well as your mind. It is a very important aspect of stress management and it also helps getting a good nights rest.

Zinc– Forms part of the protective process of the pancreas’ beta cells and is involved in almost all aspects of insulin metabolism. It’s part of more enzymatic reactions in the body than any other mineral and listen up guys, it also helps with testosterone production…Whoa!!!!

American Ginseng root– Considered by most authorities to be best herbal supplement at lowering glucose levels after a meal. Bam..need I say more?

Garlic– Not only is garlic great at glucose management but it is also beneficial for an already taxed immune system from diabetes or too much sugar in the diet, which also weakens the immune system.

Vitamin D– Vitamin D is vital in the development of the immune system. Studies have shown that many times children with diabetes have low levels of vitamin D. Adequate levels of Vitamin D during pregnancy and childhood may reduce the risk autoimmune conditions that attack the beta cells. Also, vitamin D is actually classified as a hormone and is crucial for overall health and wellness. If you live in a cold climate or don’t get much sun have your vitamin D levels checked.

Alpha lipoic acid– What’s unique about ALA is that unlike other anti-oxidants, which are either fat soluble or water soluble, it can act on free radicals in both mediums. It also works it’s magic inside or outside the cell. Therefore, it has been termed the perfect anti-oxidant. What is amazing about this remarkable supplement is that it has proven medical benefits for reducing diabetic neuropathy. It does this by improving blood flow to the peripheral nerves and has been used in Germany for years to treat this condition! Did I also mention it improves insulin sensitivity.

So to wrap things up, here are some very important rules to follow in order to maintain that blood sugar level at a cool 100 and lose that body fat.

16

1) Never, ever go more than three hours without eating! That means however many hours you are awake divide that by 3. That’s how many times a day you should be eating. Small meals spread out evenly through the day. How many calories should you eat per day? 13 calories roughly per pound of body weight. Go up or down from there.

2) If you are trying to get leaner, the slower you lose the weight (1lb a week) the more muscle tissue you will spare. Lose weight too fast and the body slows down and secretes cortisol- a demon hormone for fat loss and muscle gains.

3) No carbohydrates other than vegetables 4 hours before bed.

4) Drink plenty of water, at least 1oz per kg of body weight. This helps the kidneys function optimally and then allows the liver to burn fat more efficiently.

5) Keep your sodium levels below 2300mg. Not enough water and too much sodium are hard on the kidneys. Diabetics are already at risk for renal problems. Why make it worse.

6) Too much protein as well can be a hard on the kidneys. Some people advocate 1 gm. per pound of body weight. Most sports dieticians will advise 1.8gm per kgm. of body weight. So if you weigh 200lbs that’s 91kg x 1.8= that’s 163gms a protein a day spread out over 5-6 meals.
So Eat protein with every meal. Unless you are diagnosed with kidney problems from your diabetes.

7) Breakfast and after workout meals are extremely important and should never be skipped.

8) Exercise, exercise and more exercise.
High intensity interval training is the best for your cardio work. As far as resistance exercise do interval training. Perform 8 exercises consecutively with no rest, in the rep range of 12-15 for 4 rounds. In my opinion this is best for adding muscle and creating a vascular hard and strong look. Again hire a good personal trainer to do this. Don’t wing it; it’s complicated and too long to go into now. Do it yourself can mean just that, a do it yourself injury like a blown out shoulder, back or knee.

Ok that should do it and hopefully in a few months you will be a new person.

John Turk:
If you are interested in nutritional guidance or counseling I do provide that service via the internet as well using Skype, face time and email. I also can write up workouts with video and Skype sessions. You can reach me through my web site at the “contact” tab.

Category: Nutrition

Best Nutritionist Award

Jun 30 2015

Hey everybody, I’d just like to thank those of you who voted for me in the Kiss FM Drex Best of series. I was selected as the best Nutritionist. Thanks again for your support and I hope to see more of you keeping up your good eating habits.

John

KISS FM 103.5 Best san diego Nutritionist Award 2010

KISS FM 103.5 Best san diego Nutritionist Award 2010

Category: Nutrition

Dietary guidelines

Jun 30 2015

Many people begin a weight loss program without really knowing exactly how to eat in order to maintain muscle while losing body fat. No matter what you do while calorie restricting, everyone always loses some muscle. The key is to minimize the amount lost. Remember, the more muscle you maintain or keep the more efficient your fat furnace is at eating up those calories. Below I have outlined several important points everyone should consider when attempting to lose weight.

The following are guidelines for a normal healthy adult and in no way should be taken over the advise of your Physician, Dietician or other healthcare provider. If you have any questions or concerns please consult with a doctor before beginning any weight loss or diet program. This is for informational purposes to give clients an idea of what I do to stay in shape.

TOTAL CALORIES:
Be sure to eat 10% calories less than your maintenance calories to lose weight. This will help minimize the amount of muscle tissue lost and will be a safe and slow way to lose weight. Another thing to keep in mind is to fluctuate your daily calories, one day higher another day lower, but have a weekly goal total. Remember, the faster you lose weight, the more muscle you lose! A good rule of thumb when trying to lose weight is to eat foods that are not calorie dense. In general, Foods that have more fiber. To gain muscle eat approx.. 10% more calories per day.

GRAMS PROTEIN:
It’s important to eat protein with every meal. This will prevent your body from eating muscle tissue and will ensure you have enough available at all times to repair muscle tissue and keep your system functioning at it’s best. It will also help you feel full longer because it takes longer to digest. Note: 1/3 of the calories in a gram of protein are used up during the digestion of it. This is mostly where the term “Thermic effect” of food comes from. It is a good idea when following a resistance program to include more protein in your diet. About 1.2-1.8 grams per Kgm of body weight. (See food quality for examples of the types recommended)

MEALS SPACING:
Be sure not to go more than 3 hours without food and try to have your largest meals early in the day or before the busiest part in your daily schedule. Eating every three hours helps keep your metabolism running high. Not eating this way will slow your body down because it wants to conserve energy. It also causes a greater release of cortisol which tells your body to attack your muscles for fuel instead of fat.

BEFORE & AFTER WORKOUT MEALS: Be sure you’re doing this.
This is a crucial meal to eat and is the best time for nutrient absorption. Your body is rushing to replace the things it needs like Proteins and Carbohydrates. So it’s called the “Window of opportunity”. Right after your workout, consume simple carbs or sugars with a whey protein, which is an easily absorbing fast acting protein. The glycemic index is a good guideline to follow which is explained in the next bullet point-Food Quality. I believe sugar is probably the biggest culprit for sabotaging a persons weight loss success; however after a workout the body wants to replenish your muscles stores of sugar (Glycogen). It can do that fast with simple sugars and you will also help drive more protein into the muscle via insulin, the most anabolic hormone in the human body. The best sugars I am referring to are natural, such as pineapple, watermelon, cannelloni and other melons. Insulin is secreted in response to elevated blood glucose (sugar) to help maintain sugar homeostasis or balance. Once insulin is done replacing muscle glycogen extra calories are stored as fat! So any other time you eat sugar all you are doing is creating a FAT storing machine. Eating protein in the form of WHEY shortly after or during the sugar meal, will help provide the body with fast digesting proteins to help rebuild the muscle you just broke down. Remember, these guidelines are for healthy adults and NOT persons with blood sugar problems or other metabolic diseases!

FOOD QUALITY:
No sugar or refined carbohydrates. Choose foods with a low Glycemic Index
Low GI =55< Medium GI =55>69
High GI = 70 or more (you can find this at any health food store or online)

For example, instead of the Frappacino have a Café’ Misto made with skim milk. The glycemic index can be found by doing a Google search.
A. No Saturated fats or trans fats. Usually in many fast foods and processed meats. When you see “hydrogenated” or “partially hydrogenated” oils on an ingredient list, the food contains trans fats. Like saturated fats, eating too many trans fats can raise cholesterol (LDL) and increase the risk of heart disease. Powdered Coffee creamer is a good example of something you may be eating that has trans fat and didn’t even realize it.
B. No bread or white flower.
C. No fried foods
D. If you have oils choose olive, flaxseed, sun flower and avocado oils.

FOOD VARIETY:
Eat a variety of proteins (Fish, Chicken, Turkey, Eggs (whites only) and Lean meats (98% Fat free) beans are high in protein and excellent when combined with BROWN rice. Also good with brown rice are Hemp seeds and Chia seeds.

A. Eat as many green vegetables as you wish and choose other “colors” as well.
B. Make your dairy the fat free version –Greek yogurt is best, fat free. Also, if your lactose intolerant a good substitute for milk is almond milk. A brand called “Silk” is excellent and the unsweetened version only has 35 calories per serving.
C. Consume fruits consisting of a low glycemic index. I believe focusing on any berries is best but for variety these are good as well. Apples, Grapes, Kiwi, Cherries, Grapefruit, Oranges, Peaches, & Plums.
D. Eat grains that consist of wheat and not white flower. For example- Eat brown rice not white and have wheat pasta instead of regular. Many people suffer from gluten intolerance and some of these items may cause gastric distress. Again check with your doctor.
E. Instead of cereal select oatmeal (Old Fashioned) or cream of wheat.
F. If you must have breads, eat pumpernickel or Sour dough ONLY. They have a lower glycemic index.
G. The best fats too eat are: Avocado’s, walnuts, almonds, flaxseed and coconut oil occasionally. Some great oils are olive oil, fish oil, avocado oil and Palm Kernal oil. Note: When it comes to oil do not cook with olive oil, it has a low smoke point which means it degrades and do more harm than good. Use it for cold foods like dressings for salads and vegetables. A great oil to cook with is avocado oil. It has a much higher smoke point.
SODIUM:
I always recommend not salting your food and to be aware of food labels and how much sodium is in the product. Daily sodium intake for normal healthy adults should be below 2300mgs a day.

WATER INTAKE:
It is very important to drink approximately 1oz per kilogram of body weight (89kg =196lbs) spread out evenly throughout the day. It will not only keep you healthy and hydrated but it will also aid in fat loss. When the kidneys don’t get enough water they work harder and don’t function at their best. The liver is forced to work harder to help out and “puts aside” its less important tasks, like burning fat for energy. Instead it will use more carbohydrates, which is easier to use than fat and much more is stored in the muscles than the liver. One more important water fact. Try not to drink too much with a meal because it will dilute the digestive enzymes. Have it before or 45 minutes after. Unless you are eating something very dry. The best advise though is to thoroughly chew your food. The longer you chew the more salivary enzymes help to aid the digestive process.

FIBER:
Fibers are the structural parts of plants. Most are complex carbohydrates. Fibers can also be classified according to their solubility in water. Two types of fibers include soluble and insoluble. In general, water soluble fibers dissolve in hot water and occur in high concentrations in fruits, whole grains, oats, barley, legumes, and some vegetables; water insoluble fibers are found in higher concentrations in vegetables, wheat, and cereals.
It is important to include both types of fiber in your diet. Water soluble fibers delay the stomach’s emptying and the transit of chyme through the intestines; they have also been shown to lower blood cholesterol levels. Water insoluble fibers accelerate the transit time of chyme and increase fecal weight. In the body both types of fiber slow starch breakdown and delay glucose absorption into the blood. Most healthy adults require approx. 21-40 grams of fiber a day.

SNACKING:
Many people have a need or desire to eat late at night before bed. I am a firm believer in not eating carbohydrates at least 4 hours before going to bed. That means any carbohydrate other than green leafy vegetables or other low calorie vegetables ie, hearts of palm, artichokes, tomatoes, onions and string beans. I also feel competitive athletes or other persons striving to obtain a low level of body fat and who are on a calorie restricted diet, should consume a slow digesting protein before bed. Ie Egg whites, chicken, fish. This will provide the body with a “time released” version of amino acids during the time you are sleeping, which is 8 hours without food. This is a good habit to minimize muscle breakdown.

VITAMINS & SUPPLEMENTS:
I am not a big believer in taking vitamins if you are healthy and under 40 years of age. Vitamins are needed in small amounts and minerals even less. Some vitamins if taken in excess such as Vitamins A, D, E & K are harmful to the liver. Too much Vit B6 (More than 600mg/day) can cause loss of sensation in peripheral nerves. Too much Vit D can cause excessive Calcium deposits. If you have a poor diet or have been advised to by a Nutritionist, Dietician or Physician or you are involved in a vigorous exercise program, I believe supplements have their place and can be a good addition to a healthy lifestyle. As we age our digestive systems are not as efficient due to aging, poor diets, alcohol and other environmental factors. So supplements, if taken wisely under a knowledgeable professional, can be a good addition, especially a good protein supplement or bar. If you are one of those people that must eat on the run, it’s important to remember, protein supplements ARE NOT meant to be meal replacements and only to be used as a supplement to your regular diet. Be sure to have your doctor test your vitamin D levels!!!!

God bless and all the best.

John ☺

 

Category: Nutrition

Are feeling Fatigued?

Jun 30 2015

Many people muster up the courage to enter a gym for the first time or they are trying to get back on track after years of inactivity. What ever the case, did you ever feel that you just don’t have the energy or strength to continue on? Do you just give up and chalk up your fatigue to aging? Partying? or that you “just don’t have it in you anymore”?
Think again, because fatigue many times has an excuse and we continue to live with it thinking there are no options.
I am a firm believer that exercise is the fountain of youth. Those of you who think diet is more important must realize that diet will help us achieve greater success but in the big picture movement is life and if I had to pick which is more important, in my opinion it’s exercise. keep in mind though without proper nutrition you may not be able to exercise at your highest level and even though you make it through a workout many times it’s you are worse off when you are done. Tired, achey, irritable and just plain exhausted. This is where you need to step back and take a long hard look at your diet. Small adjustments in our diet or supplementation program can make all the difference.

Screen-Shot-2015-06-18-at-4.57.42-PM-300x192

 

So how can you tell if your lacking certain nutrients that could be ruining your gym “mojo”?
Energy is dependent on two main things in general; energy in the form of ATP which is made from glucose (food) and the bodies ability to utilize that energy i.e.. vitamins and minerals.

The best place to get vitamins and minerals which are utilized to help convert food into energy is from fruits and vegetables. You don’t even need large amounts. Studies have shown that even if you eat a diet that has more than adequate amounts of calories, you still could be deficient in many vitamins and minerals and feel tired and lethargic, if those calories are not the right ones. Combine that with high levels of saturated fats which clog the arteries and now you have a limited ability to transport those needed nutrients.

So how does one determine if there is an underlying cause to your fatigue? See your doctor and get a blood test before starting your exercise program, so they can evaluate what may be causing your low mojo. It could be a simple fix like adding vitamin D to your diet or a b-complex vitamin or Co-Q10 which helps the heart produce energy: NOTE: If you are on cholesterol lowering statin drugs they deplete your body of Co-Q10 and you should be taking supplemental Co-Q10. If you are not, discuss that with your doctor. Don’t just take it based on what I’m saying here. You are a team with your physician.

Screen-Shot-2015-06-18-at-4.53.44-PM-300x166

 

Over the years as a personal trainer, many of my clients have come to me with energy related problems and the cause was discovered through a simple blood test and was corrected. From my past experience as a personal trainer working with hundreds of people, I compiled a list of key markers in the blood that may be the culprit for your fatigue. These are suggestions and are by no means meant for anyone to be self diagnosing themselves. I am providing this for informational purposes. It’s always best to seek your doctors approval before starting an exercise program and Knowing certain things before your doctor visit will help you be more prepared when you do begin. I would hate to see someone suffer for years when the fix could be a simple one. Also, your fatigue could be a more serious sign of an under lying medical problem that needs immediate attention.

CBC’s– Complete blood cell count (Be sure it includes a cholesterol, liver and Kidney panel)

Vitamin D levels– Bones / Mood and immune function

TSH– Thyroid stimulating hormone

T3– (He or she will tell you it doesn’t need to be done but insist on doing it!!!)

C-Reactive protein– Detects inflammation

Sed rate– Indicator of inflammation and autoimmune disease

Calcium levels– Muscle contraction / Bone density

B12– Energy production

Cortisol– Adrenal gland function and belly fat

Ferritin– Detects Anemia and may indicate hypothyroidism if its low. Also could identify Vit C deficiency which effects healing.

Total iron– energy

Hemoglobin– Goes with Iron, shows body’s ability to carry oxygen.

Potassium– Heart muscle health

Homocycteine– Good indicator of possible heart disease and Folic acid can lower it.

If anyone is interested I’m available for online personal training. If you are interested in getting nutritional counseling as well I provide that to.

All the best

John Turk

Category: Nutrition, Supplements

Fiber, what exactly is it?

Apr 18 2015

Fibers are the structural parts of plants. Most are complex carbohydrates. Fibers can also be classified according to their solubility in water. The two types of fibers include soluble and insoluble.

In general, water soluble fibers dissolve in hot water and occur in high concentrations in fruits, whole grains, oats, barley, legumes, and some vegetables. Water insoluble fibers are found in higher concentrations in vegetables, wheat, and cereals.

Water soluble fibers delay the stomach’s emptying and the transit of “chyme” (Gastric juices mixed with your food) through the intestines. They have also been shown to lower blood cholesterol levels.

Water insoluble fibers accelerate the transit time of chyme and increase fecal weight. In the body both types of fiber slow starch breakdown and delay glucose absorption into the blood. Most healthy adults require approximately 21-40 grams of fiber a day. Men generally need more fiber than women and once we hit 50 years of age the requirements drop slightly. It is important to include both types of fiber in your diet.

Fiber has so many benefits too especially when it comes to weight loss. It makes you feel full longer, helps maintain blood glucose levels by making carbohydrates more complex and also helps to prevent diverticulitis, a debilitating digestive disease. A diet low in fiber is a contributing factor that increases your risk of developing it.

What I found to be been very helpful to prevent late night snacking is to eat Red, Yellow or Orange Bell peppers. What most people don’t realize is that those forms of bell peppers have more vitamin C and less calories than an orange. I actually eat them like an apple. They are sweet, filled with fiber and water, which helps relieve occasional… cough cough constipation.

Hope that helps and as always, this is for informational purposes only and in no way should be taken over the advise of your doctor or other healthcare provider.

john 🙂

Category: Nutrition

Casein Protein before bed.

Dec 7 2012

Hi Everybody,

Many of you have trouble getting in all your protein during the day or you seem to be hungry late at night or you just crave something sweet. I found that this little trick really helps me stay on track as well as provide slow digesting protein while I sleep. It’s a pudding made from 100% Casein protein, a slow digesting protein that’s great to use before bed. It can also be used if you know you may have to go more than 3 hours without eating. So check out my youtube tutorial on how simple it is to make it.

Optimum Nutrition brand

Kosher version

Category: Nutrition, Supplements

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