Brain Foods That Help You Concentrate Slideshow on MedicineNet.com from Fitness Elements Express!

Brain Foods That Help You Concentrate Slideshow on MedicineNet.com

Have a Healthy and Happy Day my Health and Fitness Friends!!

News Alert! Juice and Cider: Make Sure They're Safe from Fitness Elements Express!

By Martin J. Stutsman, Consumer Safety Officer, FDA's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition

When fall arrives, many of us look forward to enjoying fresh apple cider and juices. While most people think of juices as healthy foods, since they provide many essential nutrients, certain types of juice could pose a health risk to your family.


Why Juice Is Pasteurized or Treated

Most of the juice sold in the United States is pasteurized (heat-treated) to kill harmful bacteria, such as E. coli and Salmonella. Juice may also be treated by non-heat processes to kill bacteria.

When fruits and vegetables are fresh-squeezed to produce juice, any bacteria that are present on the inside or the outside of the produce can become part of the finished product. Unless the juice is further processed to destroy harmful bacteria, it could be dangerous for those most at risk for foodborne illness.

Who’s at Risk?


Infants and young children, pregnant women, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems, such as AIDS and cancer patients, diabetics, recipients of organ transplants, and others with chronic diseases are at greatest risk for foodborne illness.

While most people’s immune systems can usually fight off foodborne illnesses, people in these “at-risk groups” are susceptible to serious illness from drinking juice that has not been processed to kill bacteria. FDA recommends that these groups should drink unpasteurized juice only if they bring it to a boil first to kill any harmful bacteria.

Check the Label


Some grocery stores, health food stores, cider mills, and farm markets sell packaged juice that was made on site that has not been pasteurized or processed to ensure its safety. These untreated products should be kept refrigerated and are required to carry the following warning label:

WARNING: This product has not been pasteurized and therefore may contain harmful bacteria that can cause serious illness in children, the elderly, and persons with weakened immune systems.

The FDA does not require this warning label for juice or cider that is fresh-squeezed and sold by the glass at orchards, farm markets, roadside stands, or in some restaurants or juice bars. So, if you stop at a roadside stand or farm market where samples of cider or apple juice are available, be sure to ask whether the juice has been treated.

Two Simple Steps to Prevent Illness

1. Always Read the Label


Look for the warning label to avoid juice that has not been pasteurized or otherwise processed. In particular, look for the warning label on any packaged juice product that may have been made on site, such as at grocery and health food stores, cider mills, or farm markets.

2. When in Doubt, Ask!


Always ask if you are unsure if a juice product is pasteurized or not. Pasteurized juice is normally found in your grocers’ frozen food cases, refrigerated section, or on the shelf in containers such as juice boxes, bottles, or cans. Do not hesitate to ask questions if the label is unclear or if the juice or cider is sold by the glass.

Questions and Answers
Updated September 22, 2010


Q. Are juices made at home with a juicing machine safe? Are there special precautions to take when making juice at home, other than washing fruit and vegetables?

A. While it's important to wash fruits and vegetables before consuming them, any bacteria on the outside or inside of produce could contaminate the juice. Unless you process the juice to destroy the bacteria, it could still be dangerous for people who are at risk for foodborne illness.

Source: FoodSafety.Gov

Have a healthy and happy day!!

Figalicious! Your fruit of the month from Fitness Elements Express!!

Fruit of the Month: Figs


Figs, one of mankind’s oldest fruits, is only now receiving its due attention in homes across the United States. Although considered a fruit, the fig is actually a flower inverted into itself. They are the only fruit to ripen on the tree. Originally native from Turkey to northern India, the fig fruit spread to many of the Mediterranean countries. The primary producers of dried figs today are the United States, Turkey, Greece, and Spain. This highly nutritious fruit arrived in the United States by Spanish missionaries settling in Southern California in 1759. Fig trees were soon planted throughout the state.

Figs

Serving Size 1/2 cup raw (74g)

Amounts Per Serving % Daily Value
Calories 90
Calories from Fat 0
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 0mg 0%
Total Carbohydrate 24g 8%
Dietary Fiber 2g 7%
Sugars 11g
Protein 1g
Vitamin A 15%
Vitamin C 25%
Calcium 0%
Iron 2%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.



Varieties


There are hundreds of fig varieties but the following are most commonly found in today’s markets.

The Calimyrna Fig: Is known for its nut-like flavor and golden skin. This type is commonly eaten as is.

The Mission Fig: Was named for the mission fathers who planted the fruit along the California coast. This fig is a deep purple which darkens to a rich black when dried.

The Kadota Fig: Is the American version of the original Italian Dattato fig, that is thick-skinned with a creamy amber color when ripe. Practically seedless, this fig is often canned and dried.

The Brown Turkey Fig: has copper-colored skin, often with hints of purple, and white flesh that shades to pink in the center. This variety is used exclusively for the fresh fig market.

Fig varieties and photos courtesy of the California Fig Advisory Board

Availability


Fresh figs are available July through September. Dried figs are never out of season, and are available all year. You can find them in your favorite grocery store in the produce or dried fruit section.

Selection


Look for figs that are soft and smell sweet. Handle carefully because their fragile skins bruise easily.

Storage


Store fully ripened figs in the refrigerator up to 2 days; bring to room temperature before serving.

Using Dried Figs As a Replacement For Fat in Your Recipes

Dried figs are excellent replacement for fat in baked goods. Just remember when using dried figs to replace shortening or oil in baking do not overmix or overbake. Use only half of the normal amount of shortening, margarine, butter or oil, in a recipe when using dried puree. For instance, if 1 cup of margarine is called for, use only ½ cup. Then use ½ of the fig puree. Here’s a simple fig puree recipe to include in your baking recipes.

Fig Puree

Makes about 1½cups

Ingredients


2 cups dried figs
¾ cup water
2 tsp vanilla

Puree figs, water and vanilla in blender or food processor. Use as directed.

Nutritional analysis per serving: Calories 178, Protein 2g, Fat 1g, Calories From Fat 4%, Cholesterol 0mg, Carbohydrates 44g, Fiber 9g, Sodium 9mg.


Recipes

Fig Banana Smoothie
Makes 4 servings
Each serving equals 1 cup of fruit or vegetables
Source: California Fig Advisory Board

Ingredients


1 cup chopped dried figs (stems removed)
1 cup 1-inch banana slices
1 cup plain non-fat yogurt
3 cups crushed ice
1 Tbsp honey
mint leaf or berry garnish

Place all ingredients except garnish in a blender (not a food processor), and blend until smooth, approximately 2-3 minutes. Strain liquid and pour into tall, chilled glasses. Add garnish.

Nutritional analysis per serving: Calories 200, Fat 1g, Calories From Fat 5, Cholesterol 0mg, Carbohydrates 49g, Fiber 6g, Sodium 40mg, Sugars 36g.

Have fun with Your Figs and make them extra Figalicious!!

New Article from Fitness Elements Express! Vitamin D levels as a Result of Dairy Consumption may be independently related to diet-induced weight loss!

Nutritional Supplements that Improve your Health Naturally

How to Supplement with Vitamin D as an effective Weight loss tool and Health benefit


According to a resent study in the last six months from Danit R. Shaharand co-workers, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition indicates that higher calcium intake and increased serum vitamin D levels as a result of dairy consumption are independently related to diet induced weight loss. They found in one deveation in dairy calcium intake was associated with an increased likelihood of weight loss or greater than 4.5 kilograms in the preceding Six months. Multiple mechanisms have been proposed on how dairy foods may enhance weight/ body fat loss when dieting to lose weight. So all my health, nutrition, and fitness friends nutrition and science does suggest dairy intake enhances weight loss and this is no myth.

Since our bodies can produce vitamin D by the action of sunlight on the skin, many experts consider it more of a hormone than a vitamin. Nonetheless, by current definitions vitamin D is both a vitamin and a hormone so go ahead and put that in your notes to remember.

Food Sources

There are two major food forms of vitamin D- vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol) and vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol). Vitamin D2 the form most often added to milk and other foods is also the form most often used in nutritional supplements. Good natural food sources of vitamin D are cod liver oil, cold- water fish and (mackerel, salmon, herring, etcetera), butter, and egg yolks. Vegetables are low in vitamin D; the best sources are dark green leafy vegetables.

The most recent and up to date new science around vitamin D encourages supplementation; however;, vitamin D- fortified milk, cheese and yogurt were touted as key dietary sources.

Available Forms

Vitamin D is available in all forms desrcibed above. Vitamin D2 is the most common nutritional supplement form. Calcitriol, the prescription drug form of Vitamin D [1,25-(OH2D3] is roughly 10 times as potent as viamin D2 or D3. Doctors prescribe Calcitriol primarily for patients with kidney disease because these patients cannot convert vitamin D to this most active form.

The Principal Uses

The principal use of vitamin D is the prevention of vitamin D deficiency. This is why I have always tried to educate the public and my client on the importance of balance for weight loss and overall health benefits.

If you ever need advice or updates on Dosage ranges, safety issues, or interactions I’m always available for propr individualized counsel. Hae a healthy and happy day!

Source: Michael T. Murray, N.D. Gregory Miller, Phd, MACN, and American Journal of Clinical Nutrition

By, Natalie Pyles

Author. NSA Speaker, Licensed Nutritionist, Sports Nutritionist, Holistic Nutrition and Nutrition Educator, Medical Exercise and Post Rehab Condtitioning Specialist

How to use Prevention as the Cure for improving your Health Naturally – Part 2 from Fitness Elements Express!

3 Practical Recommendations for everyday Nutritional Supplementation Success

How to use Prevention as the Cure for improving your Health Naturally – Part 2

Today I will give you 3 simple recommendations you can apply to your life immediately for prevention towards improving your health naturally. I will try to keep it very practical so you aren’t wandering around health food stores and ending up with single bottles of every nutrient on the planet. Here are the three simple recommendations to follow to establish a strong nutritional foundation upon which to build:

• Take a high- quality multiple vitamin and mineral supplement.
• Take extra antioxidants.
• Take one tablespoon of flaxseed oil daily.

Recommendation 1- Take a high-Quality Multiple Vitamin and Mineral Supplement

Taking a high-quality multiple vitamin and mineral supplement that provides all of the known vitamins and minerals serves as the foundation of a nutritional supplementation program. Dr. Roger Williams, one of the premier biochemist of our time, states that healthy people should use multiple vitamin and mineral supplements as an “insurance formula” against possible deficiency. This does not mean that a deficiency will occur in the absence of the vitamin and mineral supplement any more than not having fire insurance means that your house is not going to burn down. But given the enormous potential for individual differences and the varied mechanisms of vitamin and mineral actions, supplementation with multiple formula seems to make sense. For most of the ever busy population we just don’t seem to get the time we need for all of our nutritional intake through proper diet so supplementation is a great way to substitute.

Recommendation 2- Take extra Antioxidants

Most health-minded individuals are familiar with the terms antioxidants and free radicals. Loosely defined, a free radical is a highly reactive molecule that can bind to and destroy body components. Free radical or “oxidative” damage is what makes us age. Free radicals have also been shown to be responsible for the initiation of many diseases, including the two biggest killers of Americans-heart disease and cancer.

Antioxidants, in contrast, are compounds that help protect against free-radical damage. Antioxidant nutrients like beta-carotene, selenium, vitamin E, and vitamin C are very important in protecting against the development of heart disease, cancer, and other chronic degenerative diseases. In addition, antioxidants are also thought to slow down the aging process.

Based on extensive data, it appears that a combination of antioxidants will provide greater antioxidant protection than any single nutritional antioxidant. Therefore, in addition to recommending that individuals consume a diet rich in plant foods, especially fruits and vegetables, I suggest using a combination of antioxidant nutrients rather than high dosages of ant single antioxidant .Mixtures of antioxidant nutrients appear to work together harmoniously to produce the phenomena of synergy. In other words 1+1= 3.

The two primary antioxidants in the human body are vitamin C and vitamin E. Vitamin C is an aqueous phase antioxidant. This means that it is found in body compartments composed of water. In contrast, vitamin E is a lipid phase antioxidant because it is found in lipid -(fat)- soluble body compartments such as cell membranes and fatty molecules. If you are taking a high-potency multiple vitamin and mineral formula, many supportive antioxidant nutrients such as selenium, zinc, and beta-carotene are provided for. Therefore, your primary concern may be simply to ensure beneficial levels of vitamin C and vitamin E. Here are the daily supplementation guidelines from my references and myself for the key nutritional antioxidants for supporting general health. Be sure to recognize how much your multiple vitamin and mineral formula is providing:

Recommended Antioxidant Supplementation in International Units (I.U.) or Milligrams (mg.)

Vitamin- Range for Adults

Vitamin E (d-alpha tocopherol) 400-800 I.U.
Vitamin C (ascorbic acid)

Recommendation 3- Take One Tablespoon of Flaxseed Oil Daily

In this day and age of concern over fat in our foods, my recommendation to supplement an individual’s daily diet with one tablespoon of flaxseed oil may be puzzling. However, this recommendation makes perfectly good sense. While, it is true Americans should not consume more than 30 percent of their daily calories as fats, a lack of the dietary essential fatty acids has been suggested to play a significant role in the development of many chronic degenerative diseases such as heart disease , cancer, and strokes.

Experts estimate that approximately 80 percent of our population consumes an insufficient quantity of essential fatty acids. The dietary insufficiency presents a serious health threat to Americans. In addition to providing the body with energy, the essential fatty acids-linoleic and linolenic acid- provided by plant foods function in our bodies as components of nerve cells, cellular membranes, and hormone like substances known as prostaglandins. In addition to playing a critical role in normal physiology, essential fatty acids can actually be protective and therapeutic against heart disease, cancer, autoimmune diseases like multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis, many skin diseases, and others. Research indicates that over 60 health conditions benefit from essential fatty acid supplementation.

Many consider organic, unrefined flaxseed oil to be the answer to restoring the proper level of essential fatty acids. Flaxseed oil is unique because it contains both essential fatty acids-alpha linolenic (an omega-3 fatty acid) and linoleic acid (an omega-6 fatty acid) – in appreciable amounts . Flaxseed oil is the world’s richest source of omega-3 fatty acids. At a whopping 58 percent by weight, it contains over two times the amount of omega-3 fatty acids extensively with regard to their beneficial effects in cardiovascular disease, inflammation and allergies, and cancer. I hope these 3 simple recommendations will get you on your way to better overall health and a new happier and energized you.

Have a healthy and happy day!

References: Michael T. Murray, N.D., Natural Health Magazine

By, Natalie Pyles

Author, NSA Speaker, Holistic Whole Health, Fitness , and Nutrition Expert, Medical Exercise and Post Rehab Conditioning Specialist, Licensed Nutritionist, Holistic Nursing and Nutrition Educator

Get Energized with Seasonal Eating! Happy Labor Day from Fitness Elements Express!

If you’re a seasonal eater then it’s transitional time for your taste buds. September is a bountiful time for fresh produce and bumper crops of plump, sweet fruits right next to early autumnal items.

September picks from Fitness Elements Express!


Aplenty-and very affordable-this month at your local farmers’ market and grocery store:

• Apples
• Artichokes
• Blackberries
• Blueberries
• Broccoli
• Cabbage
• Carrots
• Cauliflower
• Chili Peppers
• Cucumbers
• Curly Kale
• Figs
• French Beans
• Garlic
• Horseradish
• Leeks
• Mushrooms
• Nectarines
• New Potatoes
• Peaches
• Pears
• Plums
• Pumpkins
• Red Onions
• Spinach
• Squash
• Sweet Corn
• Tomatoes


If you preserve or freeze fruit and veggies for a taste of summer during gray days of winter, NOW is your time to stock up and do it!!

References: Sandy Todd Webster, (Idea Fitness Journal)

Forwarded by,

Natalie Pyles

Happy Labor Day Weekend!!

The Emerging Trends of “Natural” Medicine from Fitness Elements Express!

The Emerging Role of Nutritional Supplementation in Medicine Part 1- The Emerging Trends of “Natural” Medicine

How to embrace the New Evolution that is occuring in health care as more natural medicines gain acceptance

Interestingly, there is a whole new acceptance that is largely a result of increased scientific investigation and the public’s awareness of this article and research. It appears that medical researchers now have their possession the technology and understanding necessary to more fully appreciate the value of “natural” therapies. In essence, many natural therapies are being improved or refined through scientific investigation. Science is paving the way for the medicine of the future-a medicine that recognizes the healing power of nature. We use science to explain the nature of the human body and the environment and what we must keep in mind is that science is evolutionary, the underlying natural laws it tries to explain are constant. In other words, gravity existed long before Sir Isaac Newton was around to explain it. Brreakthrough developments in many areas are occuring at an incredible pace, particularly in the areas of medicine.

There is a future trend toward using substances found in nature, including compounds that are found in the human body- such as interferon, interleukin, insulin, and human growth hormone-as well as foods , food components, herbs, and herbal compounds. More and more researchers are discovering the tremendous healing properties of these natural compounds and their advantagesover synthetic medicines and surgery in the treatment of many health conditions. Through these scienctific investigtions, a trend towards natural medicines is emerging.

Most natural healing therapies are based upon scientific investigation. In most cases, the initial, investigation was of an empirical or observational nature. However, in the past 20 plus years there have been tremendous advances in the understanding of how many natural therapies work to promote health or treat disease. This increased understanding is a result of more strict scientific investigation. To conclude this article keep in mind that scientific studies and observations have have not only held up in validity of diet, nutritional supplementation, herbal remedies, chiropractic adjustments, and massage, but also some of the more esoteric natural healing treatments such as acupuncture, biofeedback, meditation, and homeopathy. Noy only has these natural cures and remedies held up in scientific investigation and been validated but the natural approach has led to signicant improvements. I hope to educate you on the reasons why Prevention is the Best Cure in this 4 part series of articles. Stay tuned for the 5 principles emerging the philosophy of medicine.

Have a happy and healthy day!


References: Michael T. Murray, N.D.

By, Natalie Pyles

Author, NSA Speaker, Licensed Nutritionist, Sports Nutritionist, Holistic Nutrition and Nursing Educator, Medical Exercise and Post Rehab Conditioning Specialist, and specialization in Special Populations

Popularized Diet Fads Continue Part 5 - The Vegetarian Diet from Fitness Elements Express!

6 Popular Diet Fads and the Scientific Discovery behind them Part 5- The Vegetarian Diet

The How to's on Designing your own Healthy Diet


Here is a quick look on some of the most popular Diets and what has been discovered with these various type diets. This will be a six part discussion and education for you on determining and forming your own personal view. While there are literally hundreds of fad diets that have been promoted over the years that we could discuss, we will limit the discussion to the following popular diets:

The Atkins diet
The Blood Type Diet
The Ornish diet
The Macrobiotic diet
The vegetarian diet
The Zone diet

Today we will start and discuss the Vegetarian diet and what the outcomes and conclusions were. This is part five of the six part series of articles.

The Vegetarian Diet


The vegetarian diet is defined as one avoiding all animal flesh, including fish and poultry. Vegetarians who avoid flesh but do eat animal products, such as cheese, milk, and eggs, are ovo-lacto-vegetarians (ovo = egg; lacto = milk and cheese). Those who eschew all animal products are reffered to as pure vegetarians or vegans.

The vegetarian diet is often promoted as the most beneficial diet and has been advocated by people from philosophers such as Plato to political leaders such as Benjamin Franklin and Ghandi to modern pop icons such as Paul McCartney. There is also considerable scientific research showing the benefits of the vegetarian diet. In fact, it has been shown to be associated with a lower risk of virtually every chronic disease. For exampke, numerous population-based studies have shown that vegetarians are nearly 50 percent less likely to die from cancer or heart disease than are nonvegetarians. The vegetarian diet has also been shown to reduce one's chances of developing diabetes, osteoporosis, or high blood pressure or forming kidney stones or gallstones.

While each of the authors including myself a now lifetime practicing ovo-lacto-vegetarian have some time or another been a practicing vegetarian, now believe that including fish and smakk amounts of animal foods in the diet leads to a more optimal nutritional intake. Nonetheless, we recognize the central and tremenedous importance that plant foods play in an optimal human diet.

Until part six the Zone Diet have a healthy and happy day!

References: Michael Murray N.D., Joseph Pizzorno N.D., and Lara Pizzorno M.A., L.M.T

By, Natalie Pyles

NSA Speaker, Author, Medical Exercise and Post Rehab Conditioning Specialist, Licensed Nutritionist, Whole Health, Fitness, and Holistic Nutrition and Nursing Educator

Popularized Diet Fads continue Part 4 The Macrobiotic Diet from Fitness Elements Express!

6 Popular Diet Fads and the Scientific Discovery behind them Part 4- The Macrobiotic Diet

The How to's on Designing your own Healthy Diet

Here is a quick look on some of the most popular Diets and what has been discovered with these various type diets. This will be a six part discussion and education for you on determining and forming your own personal view. While there are literally hundreds of fad diets that have been promoted over the years that we could discuss, we will limit the discussion to the following popular diets:

The Atkins diet
The Blood Type Diet
The Ornish diet
The Macrobiotic diet
The vegetarian diet
The Zone diet


Today we will start and discuss the Macrobiotic diet and what the outcomes and conclusions were. This is part four of the six part series of articles.

The Macrobiotic Diet

The macrobiotic diet was developed in the 1920's by a Japenese educator named George Oshawa. Oshawa is said to have cured himself of serious illness by changing to a simple diet of brown rice, miso soup, and sea vegetables. After regaining his health. Oshawa worked to integrate Eastern and Western philosophy and medicine to form the dietary and lifestyle principles of what is now known as macrobiotics. The following are the key components of the macrobiotic diet and lifestyle.

Eat only Organic foods.
Eat two or three meals a day.
Avoid cooking with electricity or microwaves; use a gas wood stove, and use only cast iron, stainless-steel, or clay cookware.
Chew each mouthful of food approximately fifty times to aid digestion and absorption of nutrients.
Do not eat for at least three hours before bedtime.
Take short baths as needed with warm or cool water.
Use grooming, cosmetic, and household products made from natural, nontoxic ingredients.
Wear only cotton clothing and avoid metalic jewelry.
Spend as much time as possible in natural outdoor settings and walk at least 30 minutes daily.
Do aerobic or stretching exercises such as yoga, dance, or martial arts on a regular basis.
Place large green plants throughout the house to enrich the oxygen content of the air, and keep windows open as much as possible to allow the circulation of fresh air.
Avoid watching television and using computers as much as possible.

Whole grains, such as brown rice, barley, millet, oats, corn, and rye, make up the bulk of the macrobiotic diet. The diet also emphasizes the consumption of vegetables, especially cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, kale, bok choy, collards, and mustad greens. Beans, tofu, and sea vegetables should be eaten on a daily basis, and a few servings each week of nuts, seeds, and fresh fish, such as halibut, flounder, cod, or sole, are permissible. All foods should be organically grown, and, ideally, only fresh and locally grown fruits and vegetables should be eaten.

My view along with the refereneces I have provided for this article of the macrobiotic diet is that it incorporates many of the same principles that we advocate but falls short in its nutritional completeness and variety of health-boosting foods.

Nonetheless, the macrobiotic diet is a health-promoting diet that clinical research has shown it to be beneficial for people with cancer and cardiovascular disease.

Until part five the Vegetarian Diet have a healthy and happy day!

References: Michael Murray N.D., Joseph Pizzorno N.D., and Lara Pizzorno M.A., L.M.T

By, Natalie Pyles

NSA Speaker, Author, Medical Exercise and Post Rehab Conditioning Specialist, Licensed Nutritionist, Whole Health, Fitness, and Holistic Nutrition and Nursing Educator

Got Healthy, Fit, and "Holism" Thoughts?

Check out our NEW services at

http://WHOLEBODYREBOOTSYSTEM.COM/ Today!!

New Non-Dairy Chocolate Pudding Recipe 4 Chocolate Lovers

Non-Dairy Chocolate Pudding Recipe




Fudge Pudding

4 Avocados
1 cup Raw Agave Nectar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup Raw Cocao Powder (Organic Chocolate)

Put in Food processor and blend until creamy

Crust

1 1/2 Cups Walnuts
1 1/2 Cups Pecans
1 cup pitted dates put in cold water for 5 minutes before using and then take out pits
1/2 cup ground flax seeds 1 Teaspoon Vanilla

Put in Food processor until it balls up. Take out and press down into pan. Pour pudding on top and freeze overnight. Take out of freezer and thaw and serve. Enjoy! This recipe is Absolutely to die for and is a 5 star rating for sure!

ALL NEW AMAZING BLOG GREEN FITNESS EFFECT

Asparagus



"Spear" an excellent source of folate, which may help protect arteries and reduce risk of birth defects. Sprinkle asparagus with olive oil, salt and pepper, then roast until tender and browned.

Visit today and join me on going the GREEN Fitness Way... http://greenfitnesseffect.blogspot.com/ I would love to hear from you so post your comments and questions. Thanks!

Your friend in Health and Fitness,

Natalie Pyles

Atkins vs. South Beach vs. Metabolic Typing

As personal trainers working in the health club environment or in private studios, our clients often ask us questions about nutrition. Regardless of whether or not you provide your clients with nutritional counseling, in my opinion, it is absolutely necessary that we all have at least a fundamental understanding of the common diets our clients are experimenting with. As we all know, knowledge is power and transferring that knowledge to your clients in the form of verbal or written exchange will separate you from the average personal trainer who provides the generic advice of “exercise more and eat less.”

The following is an excerpt from my book The No Diet, Diet! and has been written to provide an overview of the two most common diets in America: the Atkins Diet and the South Beach Diet. I compare these diets to a third program, the Metabolic Typing Diet, which is not as well known.

After careful review and study of the South Beach Diet, Atkins Diet and Metabolic Typing Diet, the similarities and differences are summarized in this article. The South Beach and Atkins programs have many similarities. The similarities between these two programs are as follows:

* Cardiologists created each of the diets.

* Both authors advocate the consumption of artificial sweeteners.

* Neither program addresses the emotional component of eating or provides additional help through certified coaches or advisors. (Dr. Mercola states that emotional eating is the most important factor of dieting. To read more on this, visit www.mercola.com.)

* Neither program talks about food quality or food sources (i.e., organic, free range, processed meats, etc.)

* Both programs are marketed as a “lose weight quickly” diet.

* Both programs advocate eating fish without any mention of potential mercury and other heavy metal contamination.

* Both programs suggest eating whole grains, without mentioning that 50 to 60 percent of all white skin people are intolerant to gluten, a protein found in all grain products.

* Both programs support drinking pasteurized milk, which has many health risks that are often unknown by the general public. For example, pasteurized dairy products often exacerbate food intolerances.

* Both programs progress you through different “phases.”

* Both programs have specific meal plans for the initial phase.

* Both programs suggest that you will drop weight in the first two weeks.

* Neither program is tailored to the individual. Both are under the “one size fits all” model of dieting.

The main differences between South Beach and Atkins are:

* South Beach states that saturated fats are harmful. Atkins advocates large quantities of saturated fats.

* Atkins advocates counting carbohydrates, which is actually “net carbs,” defined as the number of carbohydrates minus the fiber content. South Beach does not have you count calories, carbs or anything else.

* The health benefits of Atkins are said to be reducing the risk of heart disease, controlling and preventing diabetes and lowering high blood pressure. The South Beach diet claims to improve cardiovascular health.

* The meal plans between the two diets are different. This is based on each author’s opinions about which foods will and will not help the dieter lose weight.

The Metabolic Typing Diet is different from South Beach and Atkins. Here is a summary of the key differences between Metabolic Typing (MT) and the other two programs:

* MT is a customized approach to nutrition. The individual’s “metabolic type,” which can be defined as his/her own nutritional needs, is determined through a comprehensive series of questions. The answers to these questions determine how food behaves in the body and then suggests the foods that are specifically going to support the individual’s requirements. Both Atkins and South Beach can be classified as a “one size fits all” approach, as it does not have any system of analysis for identifying one’s individual needs. These are books that anyone can read and then implement without any regard for an individual’s genetics, physical characteristics, activity levels or personality traits, all of which have a major influence on how the body converts food to energy.

* Unlike diets such as the Blood Type Diet, MT looks at the entire system, which is composed of 10 fundamental control systems including the Autonomic Nervous System, CarboOxidative, LiopOxidative, Electrolyte, Acid/Alkaline, Endocrine Type, Blood Type, Constitutional Type and Prostaglandin Balance. Therefore, Blood Type only accounts for a single, fixed variable, whereas MT is much more comprehensive and can offer clearly defined, specific and reliable test results.

* Atkins and South Beach do not address the quality of foods. For example, there is no mention of avoiding fish due to the high levels of known mercury and heavy metal contamination. Secondly, no comparison is made between free range, organic food and commercially processed food. Conversely, MT specifically suggests going out of your way to buy free range, organic food whenever possible and avoiding high quantities of mercury contaminated fish.

* Atkins has a university that offers courses on cooking, shopping and other areas of food. South Beach also has a web site that offers limited online support for dieters. Metabolic Typing has a very comprehensive certification program consisting of three intense levels. This program trains health care professionals such as doctors, nutritionists, chiropractors, C.H.E.K. Practitioners and personal trainers how to administer the questionnaires and thus be able to coach clients towards their goals using the comprehensive approaches that are outlined in the book The Metabolic Typing Diet by Wolcott and the Intermediate Level MT Certification Manual.

* The South Beach Diet and the Atkins Diet were both founded by cardiologists. Each program is based on one doctor's opinion of how everyone should eat. MT is a comprehensive compilation of over 70 years of clinical research by many different individuals, including medical researchers, physicians, biochemists, dentists, physiologists, nutritionists and psychologists. The following doctors are the main contributors of what is now known as Metabolic Typing: Dr. George Watson, Dr. William Donald Kelley, Dr. Royal Lee, Dr. Weston Price, Dr. Francis Pottenger, Dr. Melvin Page, Dr. Roger Williams, Dr. Emanuel Revici and Dr. Henry Bieler. Many of these individuals are giants in their fields and world renowned in their respective scientific and clinical disciplines. Now compare this list to the two doctors who created South Beach and Atkins. Which do you think is more researched and reliable?

* South Beach and Atkins are marketed as quick, easy approaches to lose weight within the first two weeks. MT is designed as a health program, not a weight loss program. The program describes weight loss as a benefit of becoming healthy, but losing weight is NOT the primary focus. William Wolcott, the author and founder of MT, states that the program is NOT designed as a quick fix but as a permanent way of life by knowing how to listen to the body's unique individual needs.

Conclusions and Suggestions

Based on the information and research available on these three diets, as well as the nature of the typical personal trainer/client relationship, I have found the following guidelines to be helpful when coaching clients on nutrition:

* When your client asks you about Atkins or South Beach, let them know some of the information you know to be true about these diets. Try to customize the information as much as possible to your client. For example, only emphasize certain points based on your client's current level of understanding, his/her personality and motivation to learn.

* One of the major points I always make while working with a client is to point out that ANY diet he/she chooses will typically not yield long term results, unless it is customized. The problem with most diets is that they are cookie cutter and do not take into account biochemical individuality, which is the concept of no one diet working for everyone.

* I will gently suggest the client investigate Metabolic Typing or some version of customized nutrition.

Following these basic guidelines ensures your client is well informed about these diets and yet not “oversold,” which maintains your professionalism and gives you an opportunity to educate, motivate and inspire your clients to make healthier food choices.

References:

1. Agatston, A. The South Beach Diet. New York, NY: Random House, Inc.; 2003
2. Atkins R. Dr. Atkins’ Diet Revolution. New York, NY: David McKay Company, Inc.; 1973
3. Atkins R. The Atkins Essentials. New York, NY: Avon Books; 2004
4. Chek P. How to Eat, Move and Be Healthy. San Diego, CA: C.H.E.K. Institute; 2004
5. Mercola J. Is Meat From Diseased Animals Safe For Consumption? Online: www.mercola.com
6. Mercola J. Is the Atkins Diet Right for You? Online: www.mercola.com
7. Mercola J. Total Health Cookbook & Program. Schaumburg, IL: Mercola.com; 2004
8. Mercola J. Twelve Reasons to Avoid the South Beach Diet. Online: www.mercola.com
9. Rivera, R., Deutsch, R. Your Hidden Food Allergies Are Making You Fat. Rocklin, CA: Prima Health; 1998.
10. Rubin JS. The Maker’s Diet. Lake Mary, FL: Siloam; 2004
11. Sears J. Why our Health & Vitality are being damaged by our Present Food Supply. Online: www.ptonthenet.com
12. The Associated Press. Study: Low-fat vs. Lowcarb. Online: www.cnn.com; November 2004
13. Wolcott W, Fahey T. The Metabolic Typing Diet. New York, NY: Broadway Books; 2000
14. Williams RJ. Biochemical Individuality. New Canaan, CT: Keats Publishing, Inc.; 1998

References: Neil Habgood

Forwarded By, Natalie Pyles

Fitness & Nutritional Expert, Author, Speaker

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"Health & Fitness Before the Core" - Part 1

As the words "core" and "function" have taken center stage in the arenas of health, fitness and strength and conditioning. Many professionals are making the terms mutually exclusive. In other words, they are using both words to mean the same thing. Is core training and functional training one in the same? The answer is "no."

Core training and stabilization is agreed upon by most authors and researches to refer to the lumbo-pelvic complex and spinal stabilization. Functional training refers to training the body to optimally perform "real world" movements involving acceleration, deceleration and stabilization, using biomechanically efficient and coordinated movements.

The critical differentiation to make here is that a complete functional training progression must include core training and stabilization. However, core training and stabilization do not always equate to complete "functional training." In fact, many exercises that have been labeled as "core strengthening" exercises can contribute to perpetuating an individual's existing dysfunction.

By dysfunction, I am referring to existing muscular imbalances and altered sensory perception that create faulty movement patterns. It is often not the exercise that is at fault but rather the execution of the exercise by the individual. This can occur when an individual is placed in a position or positions that require static or dynamic stabilization utilizing the core musculature. During this stabilization, the strategy that their motor system uses may be biomechanically inappropriate. The individual in this case will resort to their unique position of strength. For example, the person in Figure 1 is keeping a neutral spine and eccentrically loading their abdominals to avoid excessive lumbar extension. Figure 2 depicts the same individual demonstrating a stabilization strategy for someone with weak lower abdominals and tight hip flexors. Notice how the individual in Figure 2 flexes through their middle thoracic back. They have sought to stabilize themselves using the superficial upper rectus abdominus, pecs and abducting their scapulae. The flexion in their thoracic spine is their strategy to indirectly minimize excessive lordosis in the lumbar spine in this position.



Figure 1


Figure 2
A movement strategy occurs high up the decision making process of planning a movement. According to Massion, strategy implies the existence of a choice in attaining the movement goal. Therefore there is some cognitive input by the individual and the response is not purely reflexive - happening below the cortical level.

A strategy is created when a movement synergy or synergies is repeated enough times that it is learned. A movement synergy is a coordinated pattern of muscle activity that produces force, reduces force or stabilizes against force.

The individual in Figure 2 will eventually become more stable on the ball using this kyphotic positioning. His balance will improve using this strategy but this balance will come at the expense of the biomechanics of his shoulder girdle. As he further trains his core in this manner without correction of the substitution patterns, he will develop what Kibler calls a sub-clinical adaptation complex. The adaptation is the use of a compensatory mechanism utilizing thoracic flexion for indirect lumbar stability. It is categorized as sub-clinical because there is no pathology present – yet. However, it is only a matter of time before this individual exhausts his body's ability to compensate and pathology will be present.

Why would someone use an inappropriate strategy when you, as a professional have clearly explained and demonstrated the desired outcome? Hanna refers to this as "Sensory Motor Amnesia." He describes this as a condition in which a person's ability to voluntarily contract or relax a muscle(s) is directly dependent on the degree to which a muscle can be sensed or felt. Therefore, our peripheral output (the way we move) is directly dependent on the quality of our proprioceptive input. Computer programmers have a saying for bad software: Garbage in equals garbage out. If the code (proprioceptive input) you place in your software isn't accurate, your program (your movement) will crash.

Another contributing factor to this thoracic flexion example is that tight muscles have a low irritability threshold. They will become active or overactive during instances when they are not the prime movers. Janda did a study in which subjects with lower back pain were given abdominal curl up exercises. EMG recordings of the lower back erectors showed that these lower back muscles actually fired prior to the abdominals at the initiation of the curl up. Does this imply that the subjects' lower back musculature contributed to lumbar flexion? Absolutely not. Instead it demonstrated the low irritability threshold of this muscle group. The individual who is represented by the example in Figure 2 would likely be tight through the muscles of the chest and anterior shoulder. With the upper extremities placed in a weight bearing position, these muscles immediately became the dominant stabilizers.

You may repeatedly tell your client to engage the abdominals and allow the thoracic spine to passively drop into extension and they can't. They might be able to do one or the other but not both. And they certainly can not do this on an unstable apparatus.

Prior to putting your client in the position of Figure 1, use a modification of the exercise (i.e., Prone Plank on Knees, Elbows on SB). This exercise reduces the overall demand on the body by shortening the body as a lever. In addition, the gravitational vector pulling the pelvis into an anterior tilt is lessened. With the elbows flexed on the ball the individual’s use of the biceps for stabilization is minimized. This improves their ability to extend the thoracic spine and reduce the tendency toward scapular abduction.

What happened in Figure 2 can in fact happen with any exercise or any movement. But because of the way the industry has gravitated toward core training, it is very important for health and fitness professionals to understand that that the application of an exercise categorized as addressing the “core” does not give one cart blanche to use it with anyone anywhere at anytime.

I am continually asked by professionals at my seminars about this stabilization exercise or that stabilization exercise. It is usually a "sexy" new exercise that they saw at a workshop or in a magazine. And my first question is: "For who?" And my second question is: "For what?"

Responding with a question is my attempt to have the individual realize the uniqueness of each and every one of his or her clients. And the only way to differentiate uniqueness is to assess. A simple postural screening can provide a wealth of information to begin the assessment process. This combined with extensive health history is an excellent starting point. Of course, what you do with the information gathered is what really counts.

In Part 2, I will expand on the need for using corrective exercises for all of your clients, regardless of their current level of musculoskeletal health.

References: Anthony Carey

Forwarded By, Natalie Pyles

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"How To Incorporate Scientific Balance Training" - Part 2

In Part 1 of this series, we looked at how stability and posture relate to balance. Specifically, we learned that if either one of these factors are not functioning optimally, not only is there a chance one’s balance will suffer, but structural degeneration and/or injury will be a likely result if not corrected.

Part 2 of this article series will review the basic reflexes we use during balance activities and how you can apply this information to your clients.

Matching Environmental Demands with Balance Training Demands

As upright human beings, we move across the earth in a field of gravity. On any given day, we face a number of balance challenges, though depending on what we do for a living, the amount of balance we require varies greatly. For example, individuals that drive cars, work in office buildings or sit around the house all day will have far different balance requirements than people who climb mountains, work at construction sites, ride subway trains, or drive motorcycles. Each activity we perform requires activation of specialized reflexes intended to protect us from falling and hurting ourselves. These reflexes are, in part, responsible for the action of putting our hands out to catch ourselves after a bus begins to drive before we have had a chance to get seated. These reflex reactions can be broken into two main groups:

• Righting reactions. These are used primarily when we are on a fixed or stable surface. For example, if you are walking along a sidewalk and you are forcefully pushed by someone behind you, you will primarily use your righting reactions to stabilize yourself and prevent yourself from falling.
• Equilibrium reactions. These are used primarily when the surface beneath us moves. For example, if you were taking a step off a curb and accidentally stepped onto a skateboard, in order to catch yourself from falling while the skateboard shot out from under you, you’d be primarily using your equilibrium reflexes.

These responses are quite important to our development and survival, which is why the majority of our righting and tilting responses should be built into the nervous system before the age of three.

Righting Reactions

Righting reactions can be broken into five different reflexes that serve the following functions:

• Keep the head in a normal position
• Right the body to a normal position
• Adjust the body parts in relation to the head and vice versa

These reactions are called:

• Labyrinthine righting reflexes acting on the head. Stimulation of the proprioceptors of the labyrinth causes changes in tone of the neck muscles, which bring the head into its natural position in space.
• Body-righting reflexes acting on the head. Reflexive effects of the neck muscles, which bring the head into the correct position in space caused by stimulation of pressoreceptors in the body wall by contact with the ground.
• Neck-righting reflexes. Changes in position of the head cause alterations in tone of the neck muscles through stimulation of proprioceptors in the labyrinth, which bring the head into its correct position in space. Stimulation of proprioceptors in the neck muscles in turn causes reflex movements of the limbs, which bring the person into the normal position in relation to the head.
• Body-righting reflexes acting on the body.
• Optical righting reflexes.

Examples of activities requiring righting reactions are numerous. They are used any time we are on a stable surface. Included in this list but not quite as obvious an example is walking on a balance beam.

Equilibrium Reactions

In addition to righting reactions, we also have equilibrium reactions. These reactions are developed in us as children for the purpose of maintaining or regaining control over the body’s center of gravity, thus preventing us from falling. According to Barnes, there are several categories of equilibrium reactions:

• Protective reaction of the arms and legs
• Tilting reactions
• Postural fixating reactions

As stated earlier, equilibrium reactions are more dominant when the supportive surface moves underneath us. Examples include wind surfing, working on a fishing boat in the open sea, riding a horse, driving a motorcycle, riding on a subway train or riding a skateboard (below). These activities use righting and equilibrium reactions together but may require a dominance of equilibrium reactions at any given moment.

To illustrate how this works, lets use the example of someone riding a subway train. When the train begins to move, if someone is not holding onto the pole and has slow equilibrium reflexes, there is a strong likelihood she will fall (cartoon below). The same could be said of any activity that requires a reflex response to maintain an upright posture or to protect the body. Vladimir Janda stated that if we could speed the reflex response time of our bodies by 50 percent, we would reduce the chances of acquiring an orthopedic injury by about 80 percent.

What is important about Dr. Janda’s statement in today’s training environment is that due to poor diet, lack of exercise and a number of other physiological stressors, many clients’ reflex responses are likely to be quite weak. The result of this is an increased chance of orthopedic injury, particularly during balance training exercises that may be too advanced!

How This Applies to a Fitness Professional

When selecting exercises for your client, it is important to consider the dominant reflex profile in the activity for which they are conditioning. In sports such as equestrian activities, surfing or motorcycle racing, it is important to determine which aspect of the task is most challenging to your client, and therefore needs the most attention.

Example problem 1: A motocross racer has a difficult time sliding through corners, but can handle straightaway riding and jumping.

Solution: They are likely to benefit from exercises that emphasize the tilting aspect of an equilibrium response. In this instance, kneeling on a Swiss Ball and catching medicine balls tossed from the side (below) would aid in improving the rider’s ability to respond more quickly to the motorcycle when sliding through corners.

Example problem 2: Another motocross racer is competent in the corners but has a difficult time controlling the bike through rough sections of the course due to a lack of strength or strength/endurance (below).

Solution: A circuit emphasizing righting responses and consisting of a series of exercises organized in a sequence of descending neurological demand would be useful in this scenario. For example kneeling on the Swiss Ball (below), followed by single-leg stance exercises and finishing with two-legged stance exercises would prove to be beneficial to this athlete.

The next progression would be a single-arm-opposite-leg cable push, followed by single arm abductions with a dumbbell (standing on the same leg), alternating between left and right sides for equal repetitions and finally finishing with a bout of body-blade work. The intensive interval method (~30 seconds per exercise) would be optimal. After one minute of rest, the circuit would be repeated up to five to 10 times, depending on the condition of the motocross racer. The key factor in selecting work volume is to make sure that bad motor skills are not being developed or reinforced by fatigue, as this may have a negative effect on racing performance.

Using a protocol such as the one described above will also serve to enhance postural fixating reactions regardless if the intention is to focus on improving righting or equilibrium reactions. This is important for the maintenance and development of any client reflex profile, as well as sound motor engram development.

Conclusion

I hope this installment of Scientific Balance Training has demonstrated the importance of identifying the type of reflex demands being placed on a client before you prescribe a balance exercise for them. Take a moment to think of any field or court sport (i.e., rugby, soccer, American football, baseball, basketball, volleyball, tennis). Are the athletes playing these sports on a fixed surface or a moving surface? Unless they accidentally step on the ball they are playing with or on another player, the surface they are playing on is relatively fixed – the athletes are moving across the surface. Therefore, using the information provided in this article, would they benefit more from a righting-based or equilibrium-based balance training program? Hopefully by now, the answer should be pretty clear.

More than anything, I’m trying to show you that simply putting someone on the latest piece of balance training equipment will not necessarily improve an athlete’s performance or prevent a client’s injury. As with any exercise program, it must be done scientifically, systematically and by using your brain! Remember, anyone can throw exercises at people and anyone can follow someone else’s recipe, but you are a professional. With the information provided here, you are now equipped to give your clients the right type of balance exercises based on the dominant reflex profile in their sport, work or everyday environment.

Part 3 of this article series will show you how the many control systems of the body relate to balance. For example, you’ll learn how the eyes, ears and the masticatory system all effect balance, as well as how levels of hydration and the presence of food allergies can also effect balance.

References: Paul Chek

Forwarded By, Natalie Pyles

Fitness & Nutritional Expert, Wellness Coach, Author, Speaker,

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Become an Active Participant in Your Own Life

Become an Active Participant in Your Own Life

In my 25 years as a healthcare practitioner, I’ve come to notice an important trend in the way that most people view themselves and their health. Our current medical mindset is fixated on treatment. When I say “our” mindset, I don’t just mean that of the professionals themselves. If a patient goes to their doctor for a treatment, they expect their problems to be fixed or taken away. This puts the onus of the recovery on the practitioner or therapist and in most cases the patient is just a passive observer in the healing process, apart from perhaps taking some pills or receiving injections.

Let me illustrate with an example I saw in a documentary. Recently, Morgan Spurlock’s (creator and director of the documentary Super Size Me) 30 Days series aired an episode with a former college athlete, Scott. Though only in his early 30’s, age and lifestyle hadn’t been too kind to Scott and he now found himself out of shape, becoming overweight and losing his libido. What made this episode interesting isn’t the predicament that Scott found himself in. It was what he chose to do about it. Though he did change his diet and begin to exercise, the main component to his plan was an anti-aging program, complete with growth hormones and testosterone injections. Why weren’t the dietary and fitness changes sufficient? Why not give those changes in lifestyle the chance to return Scott to his college-level fitness and physique? The answer is the treatment mindset. Most of society wants someone else to fix their problems and to fix them now. Unfortunately for Scott, the quick fix wasn’t really any kind of fix at all. Though he did lose substantial weight, he didn’t last 30 days on his ant-aging regimen. As the show documents, Scott’s sperm count plunged from over 50 million healthy sperm at the treatment’s beginning to zero in a matter of weeks. His liver started to malfunction and he began to experience mood swings. Coming to their senses, Scott and his wife decided that the side effects weren’t worth the results and he discontinued the treatments.

For many healthcare professionals, the treatment mindset is perfectly fine because they get their identity or feed their ego based on their ability to fix people. I’ve done it myself – I used to think of myself as a very good body mechanic. But the better you get, the tougher your clients get. In fact, at some point, if you get good enough, you will run into clients whose difficulties can’t be resolved just by altering diet or creating a new exercise program. I know that I have to make it clear to my clients that they are going to need a deep understanding of themselves and take part in their own life. Their role in their health cannot be a passive role. They must actively seek to understand their life and to change it in ways that lead to wellbeing.

I want to make a larger point here for all of my readers. This medical mindset is part of a more general attitude towards life possessed by many westerners. It’s not just the case that many of us fail to take an active role in the health of our body. Rather we are encouraged in many ways to let others make decisions for us. We’re inundated with commercials and other forms of marketing directed at influencing us to believe in certain ways – about the kinds of foods to eat, clothes to wear, cars to drive, who to vote for, what to worship and what to buy. There are social pressures from friends and family to conform to various conventions and habits. In short, we are bombarded with others’ opinions and discouraged from forming our own beliefs. In the end it’s easy to form the habit of just waiting submissively for someone to come along and tell us how to behave or what to think. The consequence is passivity towards our dreams, towards ourselves and towards others. Why is it that so many people fail to choose a career that challenges and enlivens them? It’s because they don’t consciously embrace the belief that they are in charge of their own life. They let life do them rather than doing life. It is when we fail to actively explore what it is that we want in life and how we can create that life for ourselves that we begin to experience most of life’s stresses.

I teach all of my clients, students and employees that one can’t have healthy relationships with others until they’ve developed a healthy relationship with themselves. Seen in that light, the passive mindset I’ve just described is even more damaging. It doesn’t just inhibit your ability to develop a healthy relationship with yourself, it gets in the way of developing genuine relationships with others as well. In more ways than one, it is this general passivity that creates the stresses that bring most of the clients I see to my doorstep.

The key to overcoming this passivity is to recognize your own power and potential for control as part of your conscious mindset. I emphasize the word “conscious” here because when pressed, most people will tell you that of course they are in control of their lives. Knowing in the abstract that you are making your life’s choices or that you could be making them isn’t enough to avoid the problems I’ve described. You must have the belief that it is your will driving your life firmly in front of you when you make your decisions – it must figure in to how you choose a course of action. To recognize your power of choice in every decision means embracing the responsibility for your life’s direction and at the same time realizing that if you don’t like the course of your life, you can change it. If you can do this, you’ll find that you are more careful about your choices and that those choices are enlivened by the knowledge that you have the power to transform your life at any time.

Now I don’t want anyone to think that being an active participant in their own life means that they have to do everything for themselves. In fact, once you know what your dreams are and you are actively working towards them, you may find yourself delegating more responsibilities to others so that you can spend your energy more efficiently. Being an active participant in the construction of your own life is about having a vision of what you want that life to be, developing a plan to realize that vision and then enacting that plan. So even if you are delegating tasks, you are still actively directing the energies around you to reach your goals.

Shedding the passive mindset that infects so many people may be the best thing you ever do for yourself. Once you do let go, you’ll find yourself motivated to direct your life in the way that you want, rather than towards what others want. If you are someone that writes out their personal goals, make the recognition of your own power one of your goals. If you don’t write out your goals, start doing it! Writing down your goals is the first step to recognizing that you have the power to direct your life. Each time you set a goal and achieve it you’ll have more confidence in your ability to achieve. So start setting goals, drop that passive mindset and you’ll find yourself more excited about your life than ever!

References: Paul Chek

Forwarded By, Natalie Pyles

Fitness & Nutritional Expert, Author, Speaker

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Weight Loss

Myth #1: Dieting Will Help You Lose Weight and Make You Healthy

Apple and scale


Every day we are bombarded with medical garbage. It comes from all sources — maybe even your doctor. There are also medical myths that have been passed on from one generation to the next — unfortunately, no one has looked carefully at where the information started and whether it is in fact valid or not.

In the following weeks, I would like to explore five of those myths and raise some questions. Hopefully, you will begin to think about them (and others) more critically…

I hate budgets and I hate diets. I think I hate them for the same reason — they make me want all the things I can’t have even more. Have you ever noticed that the word DIET is a four letter word and that the first three letters are DIE?! That’s how I feel about dieting. So many times we go to the doctor and he/she says “Well you are overweight and you need to start on a diet”. Unfortunately, many health professionals do not know exactly what this means — it is also the wrong approach to take to lose weight.

Instead of going on a diet, why not change the way you look at food and the way you approach your health? Why not change your reality and realize that food is nutrition that is good for the body as long as it’s the right kind and eaten in moderation? Food is not the enemy — choosing the wrong foods and overeating is the enemy.

A major problem started with flawed research that was then capitalized upon by food manufacturers. In the 1970s and 80s, it was erroneously determined that our high fat diet was making us all fat.1 Food manufacturers quickly caught on and soon every product had a label that said “low fat”. Unfortunately, we replaced the fat with sugar. As we all ate our low fat diets, the entire country got fatter.

A variation on the theme is being seen now with carbs. Everyone wants to be on a low carb diet. So now everything at the grocery store is advertised as “low carb”. Once again, most people have no idea what this means. There is more than one type of carbohydrate and not all carbs are bad.

Natural plant fiber is made from carbohydrates. Fruits are carbohydrates but should not be considered the same as carbohydrates from a doughnut. If we only look at the carb count, once again we will be led down the wrong path due to creative advertising.

So what are we to do? How can we figure all this out? I have two simple recommendations that will help. First get back to nature. I do not mean move to the mountains (although that does sound nice) — but start eating natural foods. Think of it this way — if you can’t catch it or pick it, don’t eat it. If you follow this rule, you can have all the fish, fresh meats, vegetables, and fruits you want.

In fact, if your diet consisted of just these foods, you would never be fat. As I write this, I am at a scuba diving resort in Borneo, Malaysia. This island does not have an overweight person on it. Why? Because they only eat what they can catch or pick. They have a natural high protein, low carb diet.

Second, if you are going to eat processed foods, always check the label. You will find protein content in grams, fat in grams, and carbohydrates in grams. Under carbohydrates it will list sugar in grams. If the grams of sugar are higher than 10 (8 if you want to be strict), put it back and choose something else.

You will be amazed at what does and does not have sugar once you start looking. Remember, it is not simply the fat or carbohydrates — as it turns out, the problem is the amount of sugar it contains.

Finally, I have an 85/15 rule. If you eat like I just showed you 85% of the time, you can eat what you like the other 15%. Food is energy — it is good for you. Choose the right foods and they will keep you healthy. Choose the wrong foods and they will make you ill. You are in fact what you eat.

Reference

1. http://weightoftheevidence.blogspot.com/2008/02/dr-jamie-bailes-fat-free-fallacy.html

2. By Dr. Tim Reynolds

Forwarded By Natalie Pyles

Fitness & Nutrition Expert, Author, & Speaker

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"How To Use Corrective Exercise That Is Functional - Part 2"

This article is a continuation from Part 1....

Although working with clients in pain for the purpose of “treating” or “fixing” their pain is outside the scope of practice of the fitness professional, this does not mean that our clients do not have active symptoms. Many clients feel they have exhausted treatment options or have plateaued with their care. Managed care and capitation that has limited visits for physical therapy has created a new demographic seeking personal training. Add the aging baby boomer generation and the health history profile of many personal training clients is increasingly more complex. These individuals still want to be healthy, physically active, functional and productive. The appropriate training progressions can help them do that.

There is a critical point here I would like to emphasize. In my observations, many fitness professionals have adopted the "Far Right (FR)" philosophy, not recognizing the full complement of tools that a physical therapist or chiropractor - who also uses the FR philosophy - utilizes as part of their intervention. Aside from having a more in-depth education on joint mechanics, tissue tolerance, etc., physical therapists and chiropractors also apply joint mobilization, joint distraction, manual resistance and even orthotics to enhance what they will do with fully integrated, multiplanar exercises.

Following comprehensive assessments on their patients, these medical professionals will use these various other “tools” to prepare the patient’s body for fully integrated, multiplanar exercises. These tools are used to address dysfunctions at the local level to improve the global response. The fitness professional who applies exercise strategies from the FR philosophy without addressing the local segmental dysfunctions first provides the body an environment to perpetuate compensatory movement patterns.

The appropriate application of corrective exercise can produce benefits similar to many manual interventions. In fact, from a motor learning perspective, the benefits of corrective exercise can be even superior to manual intervention because the client can reproduce the benefits independently of the health professional. This allows for more frequent and proactive changes by the client that can not occur with manual interventions performed two or three times a week. This is assuming the fitness professional has the prerequisite knowledge of functional anatomy and application of specific corrective exercise.

A fitness professional who does not assess musculoskeletal function or who does not have a thorough understanding of the results of an assessment may incorrectly believe that getting an exercise done is the same as getting an exercise done right. Or that if an exercise does not produce immediate pain, it is not doing any harm. The reality is that cumulative mechanical stress from inappropriately applied functional exercises is the same as cumulative mechanical stress from any other activity.

Proprioceptive Flow Following Injury

The ligaments and joint capsules contain mechanoreceptors that provide feedback on joint position and acceleration. Certain mechanoreceptors also contain pain receptors. When a ligament or the joint capsule is injured, the amount and quality of proprioceptive information is reduced. During the healing process, scar tissue forms. The properties of scar tissue are not the same as the original ligament tissue. Therefore, proprioceptive information remains reduced, unless the injury was followed by a comprehensive rehabilitative process that challenged the local proprioceptive system.

Unless you are working with high level athletes, how many of your clients have gone through comprehensive proprioceptive training following an injury? Many people won’t even go to a doctor for a diagnosis following a sprain, never mind therapy.

Muscle spindles will adapt to injury as well. Edgerton et al. studied the muscle activation of spinal muscles during a variety of motor tasks in whiplash patients. Their research showed an under activity of agonists and over activity of synergist. They concluded that the nervous system can detect a reduced capacity to generate force from a specific muscle or muscle groups and compensate by recruiting more motor neurons. This compensation is achieved by recruiting more motor units from an uninjured area of the muscle or from other muscles capable of performing a similar task (synergist).

Babyar looked at a population that had experienced shoulder pain. As part of the patient’s compensation strategy, they elevated their scapula when the arm was raised. Patients were reevaluated after the shoulder pain was gone. Babyar observed that the scapular elevation continued even in the absence of pain.

Janda also describes muscles that have a low irritability threshold. These are posturally shortened and hypertonic muscles. These muscles will create a bias of the motor neuron pool and are prematurely active (or overactive) and exert inappropriate influence on selected movements.

Interestingly, joint range of motion (ROM) may return to pre-injury levels after the ligament or joint capsule heals. But ROM does not correlate directly with proprioceptive flow from the mechanoreceptors. Therefore, even if a previously injured joint has normal ROM, it may not be “feeding” the necessary proprioceptive information to the CNS during activity. Our internal feedback systems are based on the quality of the proprioceptive information we receive. Therefore, poor proprioceptive flow from the periphery will negatively affect the quality of the motor response based on that poor proprioceptive information.

For example, the client or athlete with a history of ankle sprains that were never rehabilitated properly will have poor proprioceptive flow from the damaged ligaments. The body will not sense the “stuck” talus that is inhibiting adequate dorsi flexion during midstance in gait. The body unconsciously figures out the best way to maintain equal stride lengths is by prematurely lifting the heel on the affected side during the stance phase. This creates biomechanical changes at the hip and lumbar spine.

Also associated with joint injuries are two muscular responses resulting from disruption of the joint integrity. Both are unconscious and neurologically based. One response is reflex spasming. This is a response to pain in which the muscles splint via co contraction around the joint to protect it by reducing movement and minimizing additional damage. Motion required at the protected joint must be transferred to joints proximal and distal to the protected joint.

An alternate response by the CNS is reflex inhibition. This is the complete opposite of spasms. As the result of the arthrogenic reflex, the muscles surrounding the joint become inhibited. This often follows distention of the joint due to effusion (swelling). Inhibition prevents the body from using that joint, thereby avoiding any potential additional harm. Biomechanical compensation is therefore necessary to compensate for the weak link.

An often overlooked example of this is the role a blocked sacroiliac (SI) joint has on the function of the ipsilateral gluteus maximus, internal oblique and multifidus. If the appropriate movement of the sacrum on the innominate does not occur, the activity of these three vital lumbo-pelvic stabilizers is delayed due to inhibition by the CNS. Force production is secondary to appropriate timing of muscle activation for joint stabilization. The role of the SI joint is critical in load transfer of forces from the ground to the upper body. Poor load transfer through the SI joint requires compensatory reactions at the knee, hip and lumbar spine, compromising optimal lumbo-pelvic stabilization.

Therefore, it is questionable if, for example, an anterior lunge with the trunk flexed forward can improve gluteus maximus function if the SI joint is blocked on the same side. According to Hungerford’s study, there is more likely to be an earlier onset and increase in activity of the biceps femoris, also a hip extensor. Clearing the SI joint with the appropriate corrective exercises prior to lunging will facilitate appropriate timing of gluteus maximus function in the lunge.

Stay tuned for the third and final part of this series... coming soon!

References:

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12. Anthony Carey

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