Category Archives: weight loss

Probiotics Destroy Toxic Chemicals In Our Gut For Us

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It is an awesome fact of nature that we have trillions of organisms within our body – containing completely foreign DNA – some of which break down toxic chemicals that we humans have created to kill other things, but are now killing us, e.g. pesticides. Who are these strange helpers?

Bacteria!

Wait. Aren’t bacteria supposed to harm us? Aren’t they the enemy in the endless war against infection?

Well, when our immunity fails, some can grow out of bounds opportunistically. But they respond to the environment within which they are raised, not unlike most other creatures. Provide organic, wholesome vegetables, for instance, and you have a hotbed of positive activity in your gut. Provide sugar, processed foods and an increasing burden of chemicals and it can get ugly in there!

Also, believe it or not, ancient bacteria teamed up with our cellular ancestors eons ago to produce the energy-producing organelles within our cells called mitochondria. So, are we really that different from bacteria? No, on some level, we ARE bacteria, spurning some researchers to describe us as “meta-organisms,” composed as we are of many different living systems working symbiotically.

So, let’s look at some of the amazing feats of these friendly bacteria….

  1. Bisphenol A Toxicity: Absorption/Excretion – Bisphenol A (BPA) is an increasingly omnipresent petrochemical derivative with endocrine-disrupting properties (i.e. it messes up your hormones!) and is found in thermal printer receipts, all world paper currency, plastics, and many other consumer goods. Sadly, it is not a matter of whether or not you will be exposed, but to what degree. Enter the probiotics Bifodobacterium breve and Lactobacillus casei.  Probiotics “…reduced the intestinal absorption by facilitating the excretion of BPA, and that these probiotics may suppress the adverse effects of BPA on human health.”
  2. Bisphenol A Toxicity: Degradation – Novel, bisphenol A-degrading bacterial strains were isolated from the traditional Korean fermented cabbage dish known as kimchi.
  3. Insecticide Toxicity – Here comes kimchi to the rescue again!  In 2009, the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry revealed that the rather nasty insecticide chlorpyrifos (CP), which has been linked to neurological effects, developmental disorders and autoimmune disorders, may be no match for the bacteria that make possible kimchi fermentation.
    These toxin-munching superheroes were found to degrade four other insecticides:
  1. Coumaphos – Insecticide
  2. Diazinon
  3. Parathion
  4. Methylparathion

If you think the chemical-munching and degrading abilities of probiotics are amazing, then consider that probiotics perform thousands of vital functions within our body, and have been clinically researched to prevent and/or reduce the symptoms of close to 200 different diseases.

Make sure to consume fermented foods or probiotic supplements, and Stay Healthy!

10 Reasons Why You Should Take Supplements

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Dave Asprey

Why should you take supplements:

1. Your Diet is not nutritious enough

Grains and most forms of modern dairy  can deplete nutrient stores and interfere with nutrient absorption.  They are toxins in themselves, which increases your nutrient needs.

2. Soil Depletion

Improper farming practices deplete the soil of nutrients.  When plants are repeatedly grown on the same land, the soil loses nutrients faster than they can be replaced.  Over time, the plants have fewer nutrients to grow.  Fertilizer contains just enough nutrition for the plant to survive until harvesting, but not enough to support human health.  This results in plants that have 75% fewer micronutrients.  In addition, most plants are not harvested fresh.  They sit on trucks, shelves, and counters for weeks before being eaten.  Over time, the nutrient content of these plants decreases.

Most modern fruits and vegetables are grown to increase their sugar content, not their nutrient value.  As a result, most of the common fruits and vegetables are artificially high in fructose and sugar and lower in key nutrients.

When plants contain fewer nutrients, the animals that eat these plants are also malnourished.  A study published in the Journal of Nutrition and Health found copper levels in the UK have dropped by 90% in dairy, 55% in meat, and 76% in vegetables.

3. Water Depletion

Water is also depleted of minerals due to modern production methods.  There is a huge variation in the mineral content of bottled and tap water, with tap water generally having more.  Water filters remove important minerals such as magnesium, which was a main source of magnesium for early humans.  If you don’t use a filter and you don’t have a well, it’s likely you’re consuming dangerous amounts of fluoride and/or are deficient in magnesium.  This could explain why people who drink water higher in calcium than magnesium develop more myocardial infarcts and ischemic heart disease.

4. Low Calorie Diets Are Low Nutrient Diets

Consuming a low calorie diet means you’re consuming fewer total micronutrients.  Humans are designed to consume a large amount of calories, and it doesn’t make you fat.  When you eat less (as everyone says you should), it’s easy to become malnourished.  When you’re consuming low quality foods, you have to eat even more to obtain the right amounts of nutrition.  This is one more example of why food quality matters.

What do we mean by low calorie?  According to this study most diets require 27,575 calories to supply all the essential micronutrients.  If you’re eating less than that, you’re deficient in nutrients.

Animal foods are generally higher in calories and nutrients, so it’s no surprise that’s where the majority of calories came from in early human development.  Since the modern trend is to reduce the consumption of animal foods, people are consuming fewer nutrients.

Pesticide-treated vegetables are lower in phenolics than organic ones.  This is because polyphenols are produced as a defense against bugs and pathogens.  When there is no reason to defend themselves, the plant stops producing polyphenols.   Fresh fruits and vegetables grown at home in well fertilized soil are going to be higher in nutrients than USDA organic versions.

There is also evidence that glyphosate – RoundUp herbicide – chelates minerals in crops on which it is sprayed. Unfortunately, organic is not always possible due to financial or logistical reasons.  Even when you can find organic foods, they aren’t necessarily better.

6. Grain-fed Meat & Conventional Dairy

Compared to grass-fed meat, grain-fed meat is abysmally low in antioxidants, micronutrients, fatty acids, minerals, and vitamins.  Grains are not a food for humans or herbivorous animals.  When herbivores are fed grains, they become malnourished, just like humans.  Grain-fed meat and farmed seafood can also serve as a carrier for more toxins, which increases nutrient needs.

Raw, unpasteurized, unprocessed, full-fat dairy can be good for you, but the kind most people buy at the grocery store is not healthy.  The majority of nutrients in milk are found in the fat (cream).  When you remove or reduce the fat, you are removing and reducing the nutrient content.  Pasteurization destroys some of the nutrients in both skim and full fat milk.  Conventional dairy is also high in aflatoxin and other mycotoxins that were in the cattle’s feed.

If you eat grain-fed meat or conventional dairy – supplementation is a good idea.

7. Toxin Exposure

Your body needs nutrients to deal with toxins.  When more toxins are present, you need more nutrients.  If you’re living in a cave or the garden of Eden, this will be less of a concern.  If you’re like the rest of us mortals – you’re exposed to a litany of toxins on a daily basis.

Here are just some of the things your body has to contend with:

    1. Xenoestrogens (plastics, BPA, some molds, petroleum products).
    2. Industrial solvents and cleaners.

Our bodies weren’t designed to deal with these toxins using only nutrition from food. They just weren’t. So if you plan to get your nutrition only from food, you should plan to get your toxins only from the Garden of Eden. Good luck with that.

8. Nutrient Absorption Declines With Age

Several studies have shown kids need more nutrients to support growth, and older people need more nutrients due to malabsorption.  As people age, they often begin taking medications which can interfere with nutrient absorption.  This means you need to take more nutrients in the most absorbable form possible.

9. Exercise Increases Nutrient Needs

Athletes often think tons of exercise is the key to a long and healthy life (it’s not).  They are among the first to denounce supplements as unnecessary, often with the idea that exercise is the best medicine.  I don’t advocate high amounts of exercise, but this is an important point.  If you’re doing enough exercise to substantially deplete energy reserves, you’re also using more nutrients for energy production and recovery.  As a result, athletes are at an even higher risk of nutrient deficiencies.  Since many athletes eat a low nutrient, high toxin diet – this is a serious concern.

10. Supplements May Help You Live Longer

Aging is a natural process, but it’s not fun.  If there are supplements than can delay this process, why not take them? There is good reason to believe a higher intake of nutrients may prolong life. If supplements can buy you a few more years of quality life, why not take them?

11. Expense & Health

Whether we like it or not, our diet is not sufficiently nutritious. Avoiding supplementation due to the cost factor is false economy.

Choose supplements wisely and Stay Healthy.

Fiber is Fab

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Adapted from Dr. Mercola

Why Is Fiber So Important?

It is actually because your body can’t digest fiber that it plays such an important part in digestion. Soluble fiber, like that found in cucumbers, blueberries, beans, and nuts, dissolves into a gel-like texture, helping to slow down your digestion. This helps you to feel full longer and is one reason why fiber may help with weight control.

Insoluble fiber, found in foods like dark green leafy vegetables, green beans, celery, and carrots, does not dissolve at all and helps add bulk to your stool. This helps food to move through your digestive tract more quickly for healthy elimination. Many whole foods, especially fruits and vegetables, naturally contain both soluble and insoluble fiber.

9 Health Benefits of Fiber
  • Blood sugar control: Soluble fiber may help to slow your body’s breakdown of carbohydrates and the absorption of sugar, helping with blood sugar control.
  • Heart health: An inverse association has been found between fiber intake and heart attack, and research shows that those eating a high-fiber diet have a 40 percent lower risk of heart disease.
  • Stroke: Researchers have found that for every seven-grams more fiber you consume on a daily basis, your stroke risk is decreased by 7 percent.
  • Weight loss and management: Fiber supplements have been shown to enhance weight loss among obese people, likely because it increases feelings of fullness.
  • Skin health: Fiber, particularly psyllium husk, may help move yeast and fungus out of your body, preventing them from being excreted through your skin where they could trigger acne or rashes.
  • Diverticulitis: Dietary fiber (especially insoluble) may reduce your risk of diverticulitis – an inflammation of polyps in your intestine – by 40 percent.
  • Hemorrhoids: A high-fiber diet may lower your risk of hemorrhoids.
  • Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS): Fiber may provide some relief from IBS.
  • Gallstones and kidney stones: A high-fiber diet may reduce the risk of gallstones and kidney stones, likely because of its ability to help regulate blood sugar.
What Are the Healthiest Sources of Fiber?

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“…the current average fiber intake in the United States is about 13 grams a day for women and 17 for men. Increasing these amounts by seven grams a day would bring them close to the recommended levels of 21 to 25 grams for women and 30 to 38 for men. ‘Seven grams a day increase is an achievable goal…’ ‘You’re talking about… increasing vegetable and fruit by two portions a day.’”

If your diet could use more fiber, resist the urge to fortify it with whole grains. (And most certainly avoid fiber -fortified breakfast cereals!) Whole grains contain anti-nutrients that may damage your health. Instead, focus on eating more vegetables, nuts, and seeds. The following whole foods, for example, contain high levels of soluble and insoluble fiber.

Chia seeds Berries Vegetables such as broccoli and Brussels sprouts
Root vegetables and tubers, including onions and sweet potatoes Almonds Psyllium seed husk, flax, and chia seeds, Inulin
Green beans Cauliflower Beans such as kidney beans and Chickpeas
Peas

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A simple “rule” to remember is simply to get most of your fiber in the form of vegetables, not grains. And not breakfast cereals!

Be Healthy.

5 Reasons To Add More Protein To Your Diet

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One of the fastest ways to calm your hunger and sugar cravings is by eating protein. You probably know protein is great for keeping you satisfied, but did you know it can also decrease your cravings?That’s because protein puts the brakes on our neuronal reward system, the brain chemicals that make us feel good and motivate us to get more food, even when we’re not hungry. When we’re low in protein, cravings take over and crack the whip in search of a quick fix. Here are a few ways to combat cravings with protein:
1. Many times when a sugar craving hits, your body is really crying out for protein.

When you’re low in protein, your system knows it needs energy, and you crave foods that will give you fuel fast. Unfortunately, those high-sugar impact foods that you’re in the mood for, will only raise your blood sugar and trigger an insulin response, which shuts off fat burning.

Instead of reaching for a cookie, fill up on a handful of almonds or a yogurt, that way you’ll curb cravings for sweets by giving your body the kind of sustained energy it really needs.

2. Make sure you have a protein-rich breakfast.

One study found that a high-protein breakfast suppresses ghrelin, your hunger hormone, far better than a high-carbohydrate breakfast. Another study found a moderate- or high-protein breakfast curbed cravings in overweight and obese young people. Instead of having a carbohydrate-rich breakfast like cereal that will leave you hungry a couple of hours later, try a protein shake that will keep you full and focused for much longer.

3. You should have a sufficient amount of protein in all of your meals.

How much protein should you consume daily to get those crave-crushing benefits? One meta-analysis concluded 25 – 30 grams of protein at each meal benefits weight loss, appetite and other health factors. Based on my three decades working as a nutritionist, I’ve found the average woman should get 75– 80 grams daily, whereas most men should get 100– 120 grams of protein a day.

These numbers aren’t set in stone. Your weight and body composition will influence the amount of protein you need. Those needs increase if you’re under stress, if you’re healing or if you’re doing some heavy resistance training.

4. Find the right protein sources for your diet.

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The best sources of protein include high-quality animal protein, including grass-fed beef, free-range chicken, wild-caught low-mercury fish and (if you’re not intolerant) eggs.

Vegans and vegetarians sometimes find meeting their protein quota challenging, and supplementation ma be helpful in addition to plant-based high-protein foods like quinoa, legumes and nuts and seeds.

Whether you’re short on time or don’t have much of an appetite, a shake becomes the perfect higher-protein breakfast that takes minutes to prepare, but keeps you full, focused and crave-free for hours. Those are among the reasons I call a protein shake my number one needle mover for fast, lasting fat loss.

5. Make sure you’re not rushing through meals.

Even if you’re eating enough protein, you may not be assimilating it well. Speed eating, drinking too much fluid with your meals, not chewing enough, or low stomach acid (including if you take acid blockers) can all interfere with absorption. Low stomach acid becomes a real concern if you’re over 30 or under stress, which includes most of us.

Your goal, then, becomes eating enough protein but also digesting it well.

Do you know how much protein you’re consuming at meals? Do you find eating a higher-protein diet keeps you full longer or otherwise benefits you? Share your thoughts below.

From JJ Virgin.

And Stay Healthy.

Why your workout is not working

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You can’t out train a bad diet.

If you just “workout”, you could actually increase your cortisol, which will force your body to store more fat. You don’t want that.

You see it all the time. People work their butts off (figuratively that is, because at the end of the day their flabby butt is still there). They train and wonder ‘why am I not getting lean?’

Let me tell you why…three reasons:

#1 Backward Body Composition

We trade fat for muscle as we age. This tanks our metabolism because our muscle is metabolically active while fat is dead ugly weight.

Unfortunately, it’s easier to lose muscle than it is to lose fat. Our bodies PREFER to use lean muscle tissue for energy over our belly fat.

But with a strategic combination of high intensity interval training (HIIT), strength training and a nutrition plan that works synergistically with these workouts, you can actually force your body to harness belly fat as energy buy putting your metabolism into Afterburn.

#2 Hormone Havoc

Fat storing hormones like cortisol wreak havoc with belly fat and in today’s high stress world this hormone is at an all time high. Hormones that can promote fat burning like growth hormone and testosterone (women should have a healthy level of testosterone as well) decline with age but can be naturally boosted with the right kind of exercise. (This does NOT include things like running on the treadmill that actually increase fat storing hormones like cortisol.)

#3 Poor Eating

No matter what your exercise plan, if you’re not backing it up with solid nutritionally dense food, your plan will fail. And when it comes to eating, failing to plan is planning to fail, especially when your diet is too restrictive.

Adequate protein, nutritionally dense foods, weight training and HIIT together can get us the optimum health we so need.

Be Healthy and Stay Healthy.