Rather Be Healthy

An Egg A Day to Keep the Allergies Away?

New studies presented at the American College of Allergy, Asthma and
Immunology (ACAAI) Annual Scientific Meeting found that 56 percent of allergic
children can tolerate baked hen’s egg, while 55 percent outgrow their egg allergy
entirely. You know what this means? This means that if your kids or grandchildren have egg
allergies, they may not have to avoid the sweet treats like cookies and other sweets that contain eggs!

Allergist Rushani Saltzman, M.D., lead study author and ACAAI member
said “More than half of egg allergic children can tolerate hen’s eggs when they
are baked at 350 degrees in products such as cakes and breads”. He also said that
baked egg dietary introduction by an allergist can broaden a child’s diet, improve
quality of life and likely accelerate the development of an egg tolerance.

2/5 baked hen’s egg was the median dose tolerated. All the tested products were
baked at 350 degrees for a minimum of 30 minutes.

Ruchi Gupta, M.D., lead study author and pediatrician, found out in a separate
study that children usually outgrew the egg allergy out of all the eight common
food allergens.

“Food tolerance was observed in one in four children, with 55 percent outgrowing
their egg allergy by age seven,” said Dr. Gupta. “Developing an egg tolerance is
the most common for children, followed by milk. A small proportion outgrew
shellfish and tree nut allergies.”

However, according to the researchers, if the child has suffered a severe allergic
reaction to eggs in the past, they are less likely to develop immunity to it.
Rapid swelling of the skin and tissue, difficulty breathing and life-threatening
anaphylaxis are the symptoms of severe allergic reaction.

Allergist Richard Weber, M.D., ACAAI president-elect, pointed out that while
their recent study showed positive findings for children who develop allergies
when they eat eggs or food that is made from and contains eggs like cookies,
parents must always be cautious. “Introducing an allergen back into a child’s
diet can have severe consequences, and only should be done under the care of a
board-certified allergist”, said Weber.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121109083748.htm

Be Well!

Erai Beckmann

Founder – The Future of Health Now

Groceries make up more than half of Walmart’s retail sales, an amount that’s risen significantly over the past 10 years.

The rise makes sense from a business standpoint, since shoppers are still spending more on basic needs like food than they are on electronics or other household items – and Walmart’s product offerings have shifted to take advantage of that.

The retail giant is, however, claiming that its foray into foods, particularly local foods, has not only saved customers over $1 billion, but also helped farmers in the process – a claim that just doesn’t add up.

Why Walmart is Not a Boon to Small Farmers

On Walmart’s corporate web site, it claims the company is “… strengthening local farmers and economies, while providing customers around the world with long-term access to affordable, fresh food.”1

And it would superficially appear that they have made some progress, increasing locally sourced produce by 97 percent in 2011 alone (still, this only accounts for 10 percent of the produce they sell). They also tout some lofty goals, including:
•Selling $1 billion in food sourced from 1 million small- and medium-sized farmers
•Increasing the income by 10-15% for the small- and medium-sized farmers they source from
•Doubling sales of locally sourced produce in the United States

Yet Walmart, which reportedly has grocery sales higher than those from Kroger, Safeway, and SuperValu grocery chains combined (for a total of about 145 billion in 2011), is uniquely positioned to actually cut small farmers’ profits, by virtue of their sheer size and market power. As Trefis reported:2

“To maintain its low cost provider status, WMT [Walmart] uses a two pronged approach. First, it leverages its scale to exert buying power on its suppliers and obtains a lower price for its inventory than competitors.

Second, WMT is relentless on cutting costs across its supply chain and maintaining as lean a structure as possible. By doing these two things, the company is able to pass on its savings to customers while still maintaining margins that are equivalent or higher than competitors.

To note an example, even when the U.S. grocery market was feeling the impact of food price inflation in the latter half of 2012, Wal-Mart was able to lower its grocery prices and take share from competitors who had no choice but to raise prices to maintain their margins.”

Many of Walmart’s ‘Local’ Farms Bring in Millions of Dollars a Year

Most people assume that when Walmart says it’s buying its produce locally, it means they’re supporting small family farms that are growing healthy foods for their communities.

But small local farmers simply can’t grow enough produce to meet Walmart’s year-round demands. So much of its local produce may actually be coming from very large farms. As NPR reported:

“Of the eight farms highlighted on Wal-Mart’s locally grown web site,3 five are very large farms by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s definition, with annual sales in the millions of dollars.”

Some have described Walmart’s push toward locally grown food as “industrial local,” and compared it to their pledge to increase organic foods a few years back. Grist reported:4

“’They [Walmart] held true to their corporate model and tried to do organics the same way,’ said Mark Kastel of the Cornucopia Institute.

For its store-brand organic milk, for example, Walmart turned to Aurora Organic Dairy, which runs several giant industrial milking operations in Texas and Colorado, each with as many as 10,000 cows. In 2007, the USDA sanctioned Aurora for multiple violations of organic standards …

[In 2011], the agency stepped in again, this time revoking the organic certification for Promiseland Livestock, which had been supplying supposedly organically raised cows to Aurora.”

How Walmart May be Helping to Drive Food Prices Up

Of course, the lion’s share of Walmart’s groceries come not from small, local farms, or even large ones, but from industrial concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs). In some cases, already giant industrial meatpackers, dairy companies and food processors actually merged simply to become large enough to supply Walmart.

This consolidation has actually been blamed as one of the factors driving food prices up. Ironically, however, as food prices rise, farmers are getting paid less while the retailers … aka Walmart … are getting more:5

“Grocery prices have been rising faster than inflation and, while there are multiple factors driving up consumer costs, some economic research points to concentration in both food manufacturing and retailing as a leading culprit.

Farmers, meanwhile, are getting paid less and less. Take pork, for example. Between 1990 and 2009, the farmers’ share of each dollar consumers spent on pork fell from 45 to 25 cents, according to the USDA Economic Research Service. Pork processors picked up some of the difference, but the bulk of the gains went to Walmart and other supermarket chains, which are now pocketing 61 cents of each pork dollar, up from 45 cents in 1990.

Another USDA analysis found that big retailers have used their market power to shortchange farmers who grow apples, lettuce, and other types of produce, paying them less than what they would get in a competitive market, while also charging consumers inflated prices. In this way, Walmart has actually helped drive overall food prices up,” Grist reported.

Three More Reasons to Reconsider Buying Your Food at Walmart

They may have low prices, but at what real cost? If you’ve seen Robert Greenwald’s excellent documentary, Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Prices, you’re aware of the many social and financial problems created every time a Wal-Mart store opens in your area. For example, Penn State University researchers estimate some 20,000 American families have dropped below the poverty level due to the astounding growth of Wal-Mart between 1987 and 1998.6

And in counties where Wal-Mart stores are located, more than 15 percent of families depend on food stamps, compared to the national norm of 8 percent. Other unsettling factors include:
1.Walmart stores are linked to obesity: An additional Wal-Mart Supercenter per 100,000 residents increases average BMI by 0.24 units and the obesity rate by 2.3 percentage points.7 The researchers hypothesized that the substantial reductions in the prices of food at Wal-Mart Supercenters ends up “reducing the opportunity cost of food consumption and increasing the opportunity cost of physical activity,” thereby leading to a rise in obesity rates.
2.Walmart is the largest single U.S. importer of Chinese goods: Walmart imports over $30 billion in goods from China every year. This not only accounts for 80 percent of Wal-Mart’s imports but also 15 percent of the total U.S. imports of Chinese goods.8 Not only does this drive American companies to shut down plants and move manufacturing to China, but China is now almost as well known for toxic food ingredients as they are for electronics.
3.Walmart has promoted a distorted view of organic foods: Ever since Walmart decided to significantly increase their organic offerings, they have been bombarded with accusations of selling substandard organic food, produced at factory farms or imported from China, not grown on small, U.S. organic farms like consumers are led to believe. They’ve even been accused of posting signs in their stores that mislead consumers into believing that non-organic items are actually organic.

It’s reasons like these why your best source of food will virtually always be from actual local farmers, not huge superstores like Walmart.

For Real Quality Food, Support Your Small, Local Farmers

If the small farmers in your area get enough support from you and your neighbors, they won’t need to worry about figuring out how to change their farming model to compete with, or appease, Walmart. If every American decided to not purchase food that comes from Walmart or CAFOs, the entire system would collapse overnight. It doesn’t take an act of Congress to change the food system. All that is required is for each and every person to change their shopping habits.

Sourcing your foods from a local farmer is one of your best bets to ensure you’re getting food that is wholesome and that is grown in a sustainable fashion. I encourage you to visit your local farm directly, if you have one nearby, and also take part in farmer’s markets and community-supported agriculture programs.

Ask the farmers how they grow their food, bring your children so they can see it first-hand, and revel in the connection you re-establish between yourself and your source of food; it’s a connection that is in many ways a representation of life itself. You can find an ever-increasing number of “eat local” and “buy local” directories, in which local farms across the United States will be listed. The following organizations can also help you locate farm-fresh foods in your local area:
1.Local Harvest — This Web site will help you find farmers’ markets, family farms, and other sources of sustainably grown food in your area where you can buy produce, grass-fed meats, and many other goodies.
2.Farmers’ Markets– A national listing of farmers’ markets.
3.Eat Well Guide: Wholesome Food from Healthy Animals — The Eat Well Guide is a free online directory of sustainably raised meat, poultry, dairy, and eggs from farms, stores, restaurants, inns, and hotels, and online outlets in the United States and Canada.
4.Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture (CISA) — CISA is dedicated to sustaining agriculture and promoting the products of small farms.
5.FoodRoutes — The FoodRoutes “Find Good Food” map can help you connect with local farmers to find the freshest, tastiest food possible. On their interactive map, you can find a listing for local farmers, CSA’s, and markets near you.

If you like what you read, please consider donating to help support my blog, even as little as $5 will help.

Staying in shape doesn’t have to cost a fortune. With a few well-chosen fitness essentials, you can easily create an effective exercise routine right in your own home.

While options are plentiful, the following are my personal recommendations for basic fitness necessities that won’t put too big of a dent in your wallet. Some items you don’t even have to buy, as you probably own or have access to them already.

This includes:
1.Stairs: You don’t need a stair machine to benefit from stair exercises — just use any set of stairs in your home or neighborhood.

One study1 from 2000 showed that taking the stairs for just over 13 minutes per day helps improve heart rate, breathing ability and HDL cholesterol levels. Participants in the study climbed stairs six times a day to achieve the targeted daily duration.
2.Towel: A gym towel is an inexpensive alternative to resistance bands or a medicine ball. No matter where you are, if you have a towel, you have an effective workout tool that can be used for exercises like sliding push-ups, leg curls, and isometric shoulder press just to name a few. For descriptions, see LiveStrong’s Gym Towel Exercises page2.

A simple thigh exercise using just a towel is as follows: Place a rolled up towel between your thighs, then simply squeeze your thighs together and release. Do about three sets of 20, or until you “feel the burn” on your inner thighs.

A towel is also a great tool for stretching and rehabilitation exercises. For example, a simple stretch to help strengthen your ankles is to sit on the floor with your legs outstretched in front of you. Place a rolled up towel behind your right calf. Flex your right foot back and forth, 10-15 times. Switch to the other leg.
3.Chair: A chair can be a very useful exercise tool. Use it for push-ups, tricep dips, squats, lat pulls, or abdominal exercises as described by LiveStrong.com3.

Seven Basic Pieces of Fitness Equipment

While it’s certainly possible to get fit without any equipment at all, a few basic, inexpensive pieces can be quite helpful and well worth the money spent. My top selections include:
1.Foam roller: My favorite is the Trigger Point Performance Roller4 as it tends to not wear out and become compressed after a few months
2.Rope for stretching
3.Jump rope
4.Resistance tubing or bands
5.Medicine ball (exercise ball that comes in weights ranging from two to 25 pounds)
6.Kettle bells
7.Bosu ball

The first two on the list — rope and a foam roller — are very helpful aids for stretching, which is an important component of your warm-up, and jumping rope is good old-fashioned warm-up that still stands the test of time.

Resistance tubing, a medicine ball, or kettle bells are all excellent options for an inexpensive in-home gym with minimal equipment. The medicine ball can be used in lieu of the kettle bells or other weights, and offers an easy way to incorporate resistance training into your routine. It’s especially useful for adding resistance to your abdominal workout. You can also incorporate a medicine ball in plyometric, or “explosive” exercises, to increase strength and muscle mass.

I prefer kettle bells to other hand weights, because the ball portion of the kettlebell, which is suspended below the handle, helps shift the leverage of your movements. This change of leverage makes your body work harder. A bosu ball can also be purchased for about $100 and is a great device that will help improve your balance and core muscles.

Why Warm-Up Tools are a Good Idea

Whether you’re exercising with or without equipment, it’s important to warm up and stretch first — especially if you’re doing high intensity interval exercises such as sprinting, which you can do outdoors. (To learn more, please see my previous article on outdoor sprinting.) While sprinting outside is a simple and inexpensive exercise, I want to strongly warn you: it is also one of the most dangerous forms of high intensity training.

I and many of my friends who were fit and athletic became injured when seeking to implement Peak Fitness exercises. So I highly recommend performing the stretches demonstrated in the video below before sprinting, to reduce your chances of injury.

I did not follow this advice and when I first started HIIT five years ago. I didn’t stretch and wound up tearing one of my hamstring muscles. Implementing the following stretches helped me to finally recover from that injury. These stretches are so-called Active Isolated Stretches (AIS), not static stretches. For a demonstration of each stretch, please see my video. To perform these, you’ll need a rope and a foam roller. The stretches include:
•Hamstring I stretch (straight: 10 reps)
•Hamstring II stretch (foot twisted slightly left: 10 reps)
•Hamstring III stretch (foot twisted slightly right: 10 reps)
•Rolling your hamstrings using a foam roller

Inexpensive Tools to Monitor Progression Toward Fitness Goals

Next, three tools that can be helpful for monitor your fitness progress are:
1.Measuring Tape
2.Calipers
3.Heart Rate Monitor

Notice I don’t include a scale on this list. That’s because weighing yourself is probably one of the worst ways to track your progress. Failing to see any change on the scale can give you a false sense of failure, since muscle weighs more than fat. Weight alone is also not an effective way of judging if your health is at risk. Certain body compositions do tend to increase your risk of chronic disease, and carrying extra inches around your midsection has been repeatedly shown to increase cardiovascular health risks. Your waist size is also a powerful indicator of insulin sensitivity, as studies clearly show that measuring your waist size is one of the most powerful ways to predict your risk for diabetes.

Waist circumference is one of the best ways to evaluate whether or not you may have a weight problem as it will also give you an indication of your intra-abdominal fat mass — something that BMI or weight on a scale cannot do. Measuring your percentage of body fat is another alternative, which can give you a very precise indication of how you’re progressing on your fitness program. For this you will need a set of calipers (see instructions below). Lastly, a heart rate monitor can be a worthy investment if you’re doing high intensity interval training, to ensure you’re really pushing yourself hard enough to maximize benefits. I’ll discuss this below as well.

Two Ways to Get Your Waist Measurement

You can go about measuring your waist in two different ways. You’ll need a flexible measuring tape for both. The first way is to calculate your waist to hip ratio. This is done by measuring the circumference of your hips at the widest part, across your buttocks. Then measure your waist at the smallest circumference of your natural waist, just above your belly button. Divide your waist measurement by your hip measurement to get the ratio. For a demonstration, see the video below.

Another even simpler method is to measure only your waist circumference (the distance around the smallest area below the rib cage and above your belly button). Waist circumference is the easiest anthropometric measure of total body fat. A general guide for healthy waist circumference is as follows:

How to Calculate Your Body Fat Percentage

Another tool, which many experts are now leaning toward as the most accurate measure of obesity, is body fat percentage. As it sounds, this is simply the percentage of fat your body contains, and it can be a powerful indicator of your health.
•Too much body fat is linked to chronic health problems like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.
•Too little body fat is also problematic and can cause your body to enter a catabolic state, where muscle protein is used as fuel.

Body fat calipers are one of the most trusted and most accurate ways to measure body fat. A body fat or skinfold caliper is a lightweight, hand-held device that quickly and easily measures the thickness of a fold of your skin with its underlying layer of fat. Taken at three very specific locations on your body, these readings can help you estimate the total percent of body fat within your entire body. You can pick up a set of calipers for about $5. Keep in mind that it’s perfectly natural for women to have a higher percentage of body fat than men. A general guideline from the American Council on Exercise is as follows:

Classification

Women (percent fat)

Men (percent fat)

Essential Fat

10-13 percent

2-5 percent

Athletes

14-20 percent

6-13 percent

Fitness

21-24 percent

14-17 percent

Acceptable

25-31 percent

18-24 percent

Obese

32 percent and higher

25 percent and higher

When to Invest in a Heart Rate Monitor

I highly recommend investing in a heart rate monitor if you’re doing high intensity interval exercises in which you raise your heart rate up to, or beyond, your calculated maximum heart rate (220-your age) for 20 to 30 seconds, followed by a 90-second recovery period. You want to make sure you’re pushing yourself to your anaerobic threshold, as this is where the “magic” happens that will trigger your growth hormone release.

However, it’s nearly impossible to accurately measure your heart rate manually when it is above 150, which is why I recommend investing in a heart rate monitor.

If you like what you read, please consider donating to help support my blog, even as little as $5 will help.

Your body and your health can — indeed must — change as you start implementing the correct lifestyle changes. Yoga has received some well-deserved media attention recently.

Two recent studies show that regular yoga classes can help improve atrial fibrillation1 (irregular heartbeat) and common psychiatric disorders.2

While I believe you need to incorporate anaerobic exercise (high intensity interval training) for optimal health, there’s no doubt that yoga can be an important part of a comprehensive exercise program.

Yoga is particularly useful for promoting flexibility and core muscles, and has been proven beneficial if you suffer with back pain. As you’ll see later in this article, yoga can also help you turn your health around if you’re too overweight to engage in more strenuous types of exercise.

Ideally, you’ll want a comprehensive fitness program that includes aerobic, anaerobic, and resistance training as well, in addition to flexibility and core-building exercises like yoga.

Have Irregular Heart Rhythm? Yoga May Help…

The first featured study3 included 49 patients who had been diagnosed with atrial fibrillation (AF) for an average of five years. AF — a condition in which the upper chambers of your heart quiver chaotically — affects an estimated 2.7 million Americans.

They’re typically prescribed drugs like beta blockers in an effort to alleviate the symptoms, but these drugs don’t work for all patients, and come with a slew of side effects.

Beta blockers work by “blocking” the normally stimulating effects of the adrenaline hormone on your heart. They also slow your heart rate and reduce your heart’s need for oxygen when you exert yourself, which means your heart doesn’t have to work as hard.

These drugs have been used for more than 30 years to treat high blood pressure, and they are recommended as the first line of defense in both the United States and international health guidelines.

Aside from often being ineffective, they’re known to cause an array of serious side effects including heart attack and stroke, type 2 diabetes, and sexual dysfunction, just to name a few.

Considering the hazards of the drug paradigm, it certainly makes sense to look into safer alternatives or add-ons, and yoga might offer quite a bit of relief.

For the first three months of the study, the participants’ heart symptoms, blood pressure, heart rate, anxiety and depression levels, and general quality of life were assessed and tracked. During the second phase, the participants took yoga classes at least twice a week for three months, while still tracking their symptoms.

At the end of the study, the number of times participants reported heart quivering (confirmed by heart monitor), dropped by half. Their average heart rate also fell from an average of 67 beats per minute during the first three months, to 61-62 beats per minute post-yoga. The participants also reported feeling less anxiety and depression. Anxiety scores fell from an average of 34 (on a scale of 20-80) to an average of 25.

According to the authors:4

“There was significant decrease in heart rate, and systolic and diastolic blood pressure before and after yoga… In patients with paroxysmal AF, yoga improves symptoms, arrhythmia burden, heart rate, blood pressure, anxiety and depression scores, and several domains of quality of life.”

Yoga’s Impact on Your Mental Health

In related news, Duke University researchers recently published a review5 of more than 100 studies looking at the effect of yoga on mental health. Lead author Dr. P. Murali Doraiswamy, a professor of psychiatry and medicine at Duke University Medical Center told Time Magazine:6

“Most individuals already know that yoga produces some kind of a calming effect. Individually, people feel better after doing the physical exercise. Mentally, people feel calmer, sharper, maybe more content. We thought it’s time to see if we could pull all [the literature] together… to see if there’s enough evidence that the benefits individual people notice can be used to help people with mental illness.”

According to their findings, yoga appears to have a positive effect on:
•Mild depression
•Sleep problems
•Schizophrenia (among patients using medication)
•ADHD (among patients using medication)

Some of the studies suggest yoga can have a similar effect to antidepressants and psychotherapy, by influencing neurotransmitters and boosting serotonin. Yoga was also found to reduce levels of inflammation, oxidative stress, blood lipids and growth factors. As reported by Time:7

“Embracing yoga as a complementary treatment for mental disorders is not uncommon. Yoga is a feature in many veterans’ centers throughout the country, backed by research funded by the Department of Veterans Affairs. The Huffington Post reported that many troops use yoga as a form of treatment for PTSD, for example, with companies like Warriors at Ease training instructors in yoga techniques specifically catered to those in the military. A study published earlier this month of 70 active-duty troops found daily yoga eased anxiety and improved sleep.

The researchers say there’s enough evidence to warrant a larger study on the effects of yoga on mental health, and it should be considered as part of treatment for more disorders…

‘What we are saying is that we still need to do further, large-scale studies before we are ready to conclude that people with mental illnesses can turn to yoga as a first-line treatment,’ says Doraiswamy. ‘We are not saying throw away your Prozac and turn to yoga. We’re saying it has the promise and potential. If a large national study were done, it could turn out that yoga is just as good and may be a low cost alternative to people with unmet needs.’ In the meantime, he says it doesn’t hurt to add yoga to existing treatments so patients can take advantage of any potential benefits.”

Is Exercise the Best ‘Drug’ for Depression?

Some psychologists swear by exercise as a primary form of treatment for depression, anxiety and other mood disorders. Research has shown again and again that patients who follow aerobic-exercise regimens see improvement in their depression — improvements comparable to that of those treated with medication. The results really are impressive when you consider that exercise is virtually free and can provide you with numerous other health benefits too.

Exercise not only relieves depressive symptoms but also appears to prevent them from recurring. For example, one study conducted by Duke University in the late 1990’s divided depressed patients into three treatment groups:
•Exercise only
•Exercise plus antidepressant
•Antidepressant drug only

After six weeks, the drug-only group was doing slightly better than the other two groups. However, after 10 months of follow-up, it was the exercise-only group that had the highest remission and stay-well rate. In another study,8 which involved 80 adults aged 20 to 45 years who were diagnosed with mild to moderate depression, researchers looked at exercise alone to treat the condition and found:
•Those who exercised with low-intensity for three and five days a week showed a 30 percent reduction in symptoms
•Participants who did stretching flexibility exercises 15 to 20 minutes three days a week averaged a 29 percent decline

Yoga for Weight Loss and Health Maintenance

The following video, featuring Arthur Boorman, a disabled veteran of the Gulf War, is perhaps one of the most inspiring yoga success stories I’ve ever seen. His injuries had put him on a downward spiral for 15 years, and his doctors had told him he’d never be able to walk unassisted again. Due to his injuries, he couldn’t perform high impact exercises, but one day, he came across an article about yoga, and the rest, as they say, is history…

If you’ve ever doubted the transformative power of a low impact exercise such as yoga, I urge you to take a look at this video. It’s a truly remarkable story. Not only did he rapidly start losing weight, he also gained tremendous strength, balance and flexibility — to the point he proved his doctors’ prognosis wrong by walking unaided in less than a year!

Interestingly, research9 published just last year discovered that yoga has a beneficial impact on leptin, a hormone that plays a key role in regulating energy intake and energy expenditure. According to the authors, novice yoga practitioners had 36 percent higher leptin levels compared to experts, leading them to theorize that regular yoga practice may benefit your health by altering leptin and adiponectin production:

“We compared adiponectin and leptin data from novice and expert yoga practitioners. Leptin plays a proinflammatory role, adiponectin has anti-inflammatory properties. Leptin was 36 percent higher among novices compared to experts. Experts’ average adiponectin to leptin ratio was nearly twice that of novices.”

Both insulin and leptin resistance are associated with obesity, and impairment of their ability to transfer the information to receptors is the true foundational core of most all chronic degenerative diseases. Leptin tells your brain whether you should be hungry, eat and make more fat, whether you should reproduce, or (partly by controlling insulin) whether to engage in maintenance and repair. In short, leptin is the way that your fat stores speak to your brain to let your brain know how much energy is available and, very importantly, what to do with it.

Therefore, leptin may be on top of the food chain in metabolic importance and relevance to disease. If your leptin signaling is working properly.

When your fat stores are “full,” this extra fat will cause a surge in your leptin level, which signals your brain to stop feeling hungry, to stop eating, to stop storing fat and to start burning some extra fat off. Controlling hunger is a major (though not the only) way that leptin controls energy storage. Hunger is a very powerful, ancient, and deep-seated drive that, if stimulated long enough, will make you eat and store more energy. The only way to eat less in the long-term is to not be hungry, and the only way to do this is to control the hormones that regulate hunger, the primary one being leptin.

Aim for a Comprehensive Fitness Program

Yoga and other simple restorative exercises tone and strengthen your body, increase circulation and oxygen flow, energize you for the day and help you unwind in the evening. However, while recent studies support the use yoga to improve atrial fibrillation and common psychiatric disorders (along with many other health benefits, such as promoting flexibility and core muscles, alleviating back pain, and more), I think it’s important to incorporate a variety of exercises into your routine for optimal health results.

Ideally, you’ll want a comprehensive fitness program that includes aerobic, anaerobic, and resistance training as well, in addition to flexibility and core-building exercises like yoga.

If you like what you read, please consider donating to help support my blog, even as little as $5 will help.

The TRUTH about Potatoes, Glycemic Index, and “White Foods” – Friend or Foe for Fat Loss?
I’d like to start a little discussion today about carbohydrates… and in particular, “white foods” as well as potatoes. One reason I wanted to mention this is because so many health and fitness professionals trash talk potatoes about being a bad carbohydrate choice because of the high glycemic index. Some even say such ridiculous things as “avoid any and all white carbohydrates”.

Ok, now while I certainly agree that white bread and refined white sugar are two of the worst things we can be feeding our bodies, I definately don’t agree with avoiding any and all “white carbohydrates”. Now I know all of the buzz lately has been about colorful foods and the protective antioxidants that they contain. They tell you to focus on colors and stay away from white.

“White Foods” aren’t necessarily always the enemy

It’s true that colorful foods are great, but it is a big mistake to specifically avoid white foods! There are plenty of white foods that have specific nutrients that are hard to find elsewhere. Let’s look at a few examples…

Onions & Garlic

What about onions and garlic? They are both white and they are chock full of protective phytonutrients, vitamins, and trace minerals that aren’t easy to find elsewhere in a normal diet… such nutrients as allicin, quercetin (an important flavonoid), chromium, and other unique anti-inflammatory nutrients.

In fact, onions are so powerful for our health, that one study of centenarians (people that live to over 100 years old) identified that a common thread of these amazingly healthy individuals was that they ate a lot of onions throughout their lives. And we also know that garlic is one of the most powerful substances for a strong immune system, among other qualities.

Cauliflower

Another example of something white that is great for you is cauliflower. Cauliflower is loaded with vitamin C, fiber, minerals, and special compounds such as glucosinolates and thiocyanates, which are specifically abundant in cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage. And a little-known fact is that some of the compounds in cruciferous vegetables help to combat other estrogenic compounds in our food supply and environment and can help prevent excess belly fat. So eat up on that cauliflower!

Mushrooms

Not many people realize this, but surprisingly, even white mushrooms have high levels of unique nutrients and antioxidants. White mushrooms are high in a couple types of antioxidants called polyphenols and ergothioneine. And some types of mushrooms, such as portobella mushrooms, are surprisingly good sources of Vitamin D.

Potatoes

Now that also leads us to another example – white potatoes (which by the way, can also be found in red, yellow, purple varieties, etc). Many health professionals claim that potatoes are a bad carbohydrate because they are thought to have a high glycemic index. First of all, if you’ve read my Truth about Six Pack Abs ebook, then you understand that glycemic index is not necessarily the most important factor in choosing your carbohydrates.

While a generalization can be made that most low glycemic index carbohydrate choices will help you lose body fat easier than high glycemic index choices, it is not all that it’s cracked up to be. There are many other factors that determine how your body will react-to and process the carbohydrates you ingest, such as glycemic load and also how you combine the high GI food with other foods.

For example, using glycemic load as an example… it is known that watermelon has a high glycemic index. However, the glycemic load of a normal serving of watermelon is just way too low for your body to start packing on body fat just because you ate a high glycemic index fruit. You would have to eat such an enormous quantity of watermelon just to get enough grams of carbohydrates to have any negative glycemic effect, that it is just non-sensical.

Not to mention that watermelon is also a great source of vitamins, minerals, and lycopene. There’s just no reason to avoid it simply because it has a high GI. My point is… candy bars, cupcakes, and donuts make you fat… NOT watermelons, carrots or potatoes… French fries excluded of course.

Also, as i mentioned, food combinations are important in how your body processes the carbohydrates and the associated blood sugar and insulin response you receive. For example, if you mix a high glycemic index carbohydrate with an extra source of fiber, healthy fats, or even certain proteins, many times the blood sugar and glycemic response will be slowed down considerably by the way you combined the food. Again, I talk in detail about this entire topic in my Truth about Six Pack Abs book

Alright, so back to my point that white potatoes are actually a healthy carbohydrate as long as you eat them in the right form… with the entire skin, and please don’t ruin them by deep frying them into french fries either! French fries are one of the most evil things ever invented for your health, but only because we ruin them by soaking them in a scorching bath of trans fats in the deep fryer from the hydrogenated oils that are typically used.

Keep in mind that potatoes contain so many vitamins and minerals that the list is way too long to even try. Also, as long as you eat the skins, you get a decent shot of fiber too.

Will 7-9 potatoes per day make you fatter?

On the topic of potatoes not being so bad after all, I don’t remember where I saw this referenced, but I recently saw a particular study that had participants eat something like 7-9 whole potatoes per day for several weeks.

At the conclusion of the study, the potato eaters had actually consistently lost weight! I’d venture a guess that the reason the people lost weight is that they were probably so full from eating all of those damn potatoes, that they actually consumed less calories than normal! An average sized potato only has about 100-120 calories, and I can surely imagine you’d be full constantly from eating 7-9 potatoes each day.

Of course, this does NOT mean that french fries are ok to eat! Those will only make you fat, and the trans fat will lead to an early death. Seriously… fries are one of the most deadly foods in our food supply. Plus, deep fried potatoes build up dangerous acrylamides from the frying oil reacting with the starch, and these compounds are carcinogenic.

Anyway, back to the 7-9 whole potatoes per day… Now I would never recommend going to those extremes, but my point is that an occasional potato is not going to hurt your efforts to get lean, especially if you combine it with some other fibrous vegetables and maybe a healthy fat and some protein. On that note, I have one of my favorite recipes for you, using potatoes.

Geary’s Lean-Body Potato Side Dish
•Desired quantity of baby potatoes (I like to use this mixture I found recently at a health food store… it is a mixture of white, red, yellow, and purple baby potatoes)
•1 red pepper
•1 green pepper
•1 yellow pepper
•1 or 2 onions
•a couple cloves of garlic, finely chopped (or mashed garlic from a jar, organic preferably)
•1 or 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil and/or virgin coconut oil
•a little salt and pepper to taste (I like using a sea salt instead of normal commercial salt)

Cut the baby potatoes into slightly smaller pieces and place in a steamer until soft all the way through. Slice up the peppers and onions into strips and add with the chopped garlic into a pan with the olive oil. Cook the peppers, onions, and garlic until tender, and then add the steamed baby potatoes. Stir it all together and serve. This is a delicious and healthy side dish that goes great with chicken or red meat.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this little topic today about potatoes, healthy carbohydrates, glycemic index, and my killer healthy potato recipe idea!

by Mike Geary, Certified Nutrition Specialist, Certified Personal Trainer
Author – The Truth about Six-Pack Abs

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First, the flu (aka. influenza) is a virus – not
a bacteria. So if your doctor gives you
antibiotics for the flu (I don’t know why they
would, but they do sometimes), then you can
intelligently pass on that.

As you may have heard, unnecessary antibiotics
damages your gut flora balance and can allow harmful
bacteria to take hold causing all sorts of health
problems after you’re done with the antibiotics.

Second, since the flu is NOT a bacterial problem,
we should NOT be overusing anti-bacterial
products. Doing so only exacerbates possible
bacterial problems down the road as these little
critters can quickly adapt to our excessively
clean environments.

These harder-to-kill “super bugs” are now sadly
apparent thanks to the over-prescription of
antibiotics and other measures of excessive
cleanliness.

Third, the influenza virus is with us 365 days a year
but flu season peaks in February in the northern
hemisphere and August in the southern hemisphere.

Interestingly, this is also when we get the least
amount of sunlight (and thus vitamin D) in each
respective location.

Vitamin D is so important in this regard that
most experts believe that flu outbreaks are
CAUSED by a lack of the “sunshine vitamin”.

Fourth, if the “germ theory” of disease was
correct, then every single person exposed to the
flu virus would get sick. Obviously, this is not
the case since we’re all exposed to it, but only
some actually get sick.

Why?

Because what’s happening inside your body is more
important than what’s happening outside of it. A
clean and healthy internal environment is
inhospitable to viruses and other pathogens.
That’s where proper nutrition comes into play.

I personally haven’t had the flu in 15 years, and haven’t
even had more than a sniffle of a cold in that time frame
too. Nutrition really can control your outcome!

Fifth, did you know that kids raised with pets (especially
dogs) have been shown to have stronger immune
systems and are more resilient to infections like
the flu… it’s true!

This makes sense since dogs acquire all kinds of
micro-organisms while playing outside. Once
exposed to these “natural critters” (by coming
into contact with the dogs) at a very young age,
the child immune’s system is able to recognize
the micro-organisms and adapt accordingly.

Lastly, there are simple remedies you can use to
prevent and fight the flu. EIGHT of the most of
powerful remedies are fully disclosed in a NEW
Flu Fighters report by well-respected holistic
nutritionist Yuri Elkaim.

In this 41-page report, you’ll discover:

* The 8 most powerful “flu-fighters” that rev up
your immune system to fight the deadliest of
bacteria and viruses.

* The MOST important flu-fighting nutrient that
MUST be in your pantry and exactly how much of it
you should take (and it’s not what most
authorities are telling you)

* The tasty ingredient that you can add to your
favorite meals for enhanced flavor and health
protection.

* The BEST (and surprising) food sources of this
miracle vitamin.

And more!

You owe it to yourself and to your family to be
equipped with this knowledge so you can avoid
becoming another “flu” statistic.

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[WARNING]Popular Pain Killer Raises Heart Attack Likelihood by 40%

It has become increasingly common for people to take products like Aspirin on a regular
basis to lower their risk of heart failure or even to increase their likelihood of survival in
the event they do suffer a heart attack itself. While this type of product is well-known
as an anti-inflammatory, some new research coming out of the UK has shown that not
all anti-inflammatories are going to be of any benefit – in fact some can drastically raise
your likelihood of stroke or even heart attacks.

Researchers from Barts And The London School of Medicine and Dentistry have
singled out Diclofenac, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (commonly known as an
NSAID) as potentially dangerous.

This common over-the-counter medication is marketed under a variety of different brand
names and is typically recommended by a physician to combat pain due to arthritis or
during recovery after surgery.

Several different studies have confirmed the dangers of Diclofenac and individuals
within the medical research community are starting to make noise about an outright ban
of the drug.

A study conducted a few years ago by researchers at Barts linked Diclofenac to a 40%
in risk of heart attack and stroke. Another study showed that those who took Diclofenac
saw their risk of dying from heart attack or stroke increase by a massive four-fold
margin.

Researchers estimate that nearly 5,000,000 people are prescribed Diclofenac annually,
and the risks are biggest for those who are taking the drug on a regular basis.

What seems especially frustrating to the researchers involved is that there are already
plenty of other non-steroidal anti-inflammatories that work just fine and are already on
the market.

Dr Patricia McGettigan, who was involved with the study conducted in 2011 for PLoS
Medicine, compared Diclofenac to the scandal surrounding Vioxx back in the earlier
part of the last decade. It was pulled from the market and set off a torrent of class-action
lawsuits. It raised chances of heart attack and stroke by 45%.

Diclofenac’s presence on national essential medicine lists, where it is considered
essential by over 70 countries, is exacerbating the problem. Dr McGettigan declared
that “Diclofenac has no advantage in terms of gastrointestinal safety and it has a clear

cardiovascular disadvantage.”

It’s clear that there are many different and markedly better ways to manage pain and
inflammation. The research and medical community agrees, but why do those who
manage national health policy continue to ignore the data?

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Baby Boomers Significantly Less Healthy Than Their Parents Were

The health habits of the Baby Boom Generation are under full indictment in the
latest edition of JAMA Internal Medicine. A recent study sheds light on the general
misconception that, because they have an increased life expectancy, that members of
the Baby Boom Generation are healthier than their parents were at a similar age.

The study found that Baby Boomers in particular had a higher instance of chronic
disease and a higher likelihood of disability than their parents generation did. This
information also held up from a self-rated perspective by individual respondents.

The data sourced for the study was from two periods. The first was from 1988 to 1994
and the second was from 2007 to 2010. All of the data was from participants between
the ages of 48 and 64.

More than twice as many people today are using walking assistance devices and those
whose work options were limited by disability rose from around 10% to 13%. Obesity
also rose significantly from 29% all the way up to 39% amongst Baby Boomers.

The real crisis point is likely in respondents description of daily activity with individuals
engaged in no physical activity at all. It was listed at 17% in the 1988/1994 group and
rose to a whopping 52% in the 2007/2010 group.

Hypertension rates were also up by a solid margin – to 43% from around 36% in
previous years. Use of medication to treat hypertension rose by nearly twice the margin
to 35% from 23%.

32% of members of the previous generation listed their health as excellent – only 13% of
Baby Boomers did the same between 2007 and 2010.

According to the data released by the JAMA study, not every statistic reflected
negatively on baby boomers. During the 1988/1994 study, around 27% described
themselves as smokers. In the 2007/2010 group, that number dropped to around 21%.
One of the most dramatic jumps was in the use of cholesterol-lowering drugs, which
rose from 1.5% to nearly 26%.

It’s a clear indication of why overall quality of life is such an important issue in
measuring the health of a society – not just life expectancy. As Baby Boomers begin
shifting into their later years, they must begin embracing a more active, less stressful

lifestyle with a focus on preventative healthcare.

This study is further proof of the need for more science-based information about health
and wellness and why we need to get beyond the headlines and start looking at real
data, collected by experts in their fields.

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ADHD Drugs Don’t Help Young Children

The explosive increase in diagnosis of moderate-to-severe attention deficit hyperactivity
disorder (commonly known as ADHD) has had a significant impact on our society,
the education system and millions of children from all walks of life. It has been an
extremely controversial issue since it touches lives everywhere. Many debate whether
this condition is over-diagnosed, particularly in young boys.

A new study recently published in the Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adult
Psychiatry has shown that early diagnosis and treatment of ADHD or ADHD symptoms
means very little in terms of the ability to prevent the condition or better manage its
symptoms.

According to the results in the study, 90% of children still had difficulties/ADHD
symptoms six years after their diagnosis. The study was conducted on 186 children
aged three to five. Detailed reports were included from parents and teachers to track the
severity of the symptoms of our participating child.

Children being treated with ADHD medication (2/3’s of the participant pool) showed
comparable levels of severity to those who weren’t taking ADHD medication. Of the
children taking medication, approximately 2/3’s of them were noted for having significant
hyperactivity and impulsivity. A smaller portion (58%) of those not taking medication had
similar problems with hyperactivity and ADHD symptoms.

ADHD has a very large impact on the lives of those affected by it. Statistical data shows
that those suffering from ADHD are significantly more likely to abuse drugs or alcohol
later in life and are more likely to have difficulty keeping jobs.

Noticing ADHD symptoms early and diagnosing them quickly appear to have very little
to do with helping children deal with or offset the symptoms. It’s clear that a rethink
is needed in how physicians, parents and educators approach the condition and it
should be viewed as a longer-term treatment that is not just dependent on the use of
psychiatric medication.

One of the authors of the study, Mark Riddle – a children’s psychiatrist at Johns Hopkins
Children’s Center in Baltimore – declared that “ADHD in preschoolers is a chronic
and rather persistent condition, one that requires better long-term behavioural and
pharmacological treatments than we currently have.”

Our approach to children’s healthcare, and mental health in particular, is often focused
primarily on making symptoms easier to deal with for the individuals around the child –

not the child itself. That appears to be the case in the treatment of ADHD. This study is
another great example of why we need to rethink our approach to medication, wellness
and children’s mental health.

Are we setting up a generation of young men and women for failure with our inability to
treat and manage ADHD? What can our society do to help them?

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Ever since Beyonce Knowles was associated with the Lemon Detox diet, there has been a surge of interest in this particular program. Also known as the Master Cleanse, this detox diet has been around for almost 50 years and has seen variations on its recipe and program. It’s effectivity in breaking down built up toxins in the body while contributing to short term weight loss has made it a popular option for a spring detox.

Reviewing the Master Cleanse
The Lemonade Detox diet first became effective, strangely, when its creator, Stanley Burroughs, recommended it for the healing of stomach ulcers. In his book “The Master Cleanser”, he goes on to share how he first came to test the Master Cleanse diet on a patient who was suffering from ulcer for three years. Left with no other recourse, the patient approached Stanley who recommended that he undertake the cleanse. After eleven days, the patient was totally healed to the amazement of the doctors. Many other cases followed with same consistent and astounding results corrected within ten days. Of particular note also was that those undergoing the Master Cleanse also experienced a reduction in weight.

If there have been doubts as to the veracity of Stanley Burrough’s claim of the Lemon Detox diet’s effectivity, there have been testimonies over the years of its efficacy. Of recent vintage is Tom Woloshyn’s work, “The Master Cleanse Experience”, published by Ulysses Press in 2009. This book briefly mentions Woloshyn’s experience in advising clients who has undergone the Master Cleanse program and provides among other insights health benefits which include better sleep, positive outlook, clarity of mind and freedom from addictions. He, thus, advocates keeping a journal to monitor developments as well as a reference for future use when undergoing the program for the second or many more times over.

The Master Cleanse operates on the principle that, for disease to be addressed, cleansing must be undertaken. Simplifying and correcting disorders through this process is actually a way of correcting every disease. Developments in nutrition and science have clearly identified improper diet, negative mental attitudes and inadequate exercise as the factors that create the conditions to produce toxin build up over time. That is why the Master Cleanse is not an end to itself. It is actually just the tip of a long chain of healthy decisions of those who wish to undertake it. Observing a healthy diet, regular exercise as well as stress reduction is essential in maintaining the gains that the Master Cleanse Detox diet can offer.

Surrendering to the process
Undergoing a detox diet is just like preparing for a marathon. It is necessary to keep sight of your goals or you stand to be cast in the wayside, a victim of your doubts. Tom Woloshyn offers this delightful insight when encouraging first timers who wish to undertake the Master Cleanse, fully knowing its side effects firsthand. Defining the outcome after having identified where you are, and what you want to achieve is the next step to achieving the goal you have set for yourself.

According to Woloshyn, some people prepare themselves before undergoing the detox by going on a vegetarian diet. It’s less stressful on the body and makes the transition to the Master Cleanse easier. For those who regularly take coffee or soda drinks, a gradual reduction in intake are recommended as well as taking pantothenic acid (vitamin B-5) to help prevent the onset of headaches brought about by caffeine withdrawal.

People who have undergone organ transplants as well as those on immune suppressant drugs cannot take the fast. Woloshyn warns that the cleanse stimulates the immune system while effectively inhibiting the results of the drugs, this combination will most likely lead to the organ transplant being rejected by the body.

How to do the Master Cleanse
The Lemon Detox diet is a cleansing program and encourages only the intake of lemonade made from the following ingredients: lemons, pure maple syrup, cayenne pepper and water for a minimum of ten days only.

To create the mixture, mix the ingredients in the amount instructed by Burroughs and drink a minimum of at least six to twelve glasses of the concoction daily through out the day. Drink the lemonade whenever hunger pangs strike.

A laxative must be taken in the morning and then in the evening. Using a salt water flush instead of a morning laxative can also be availed of instead. However, be sure to observe at least three bowel movements in a day. This will ensure that the waste accumulated in the intestinal walls is totally removed.

Always enjoy the Master Cleanse lemonade drink fresh and do not subject it to microwave as doing so will minimize its effectiveness. For each successful day, the psychological need to eat is slowly overcome full, providing confidence and a sense of control that motivates the person undergoing the diet.

Breaking the Master Cleanse is just as critical as starting it. On day one coming off the fast, immediately after the end of the master cleanse, slowly introduce orange juice into the diet. Day two will see the introduction of vegetable soups and broths. Day three observe a diet of fruits and vegetables. Be careful not to overeat or eat too soon and drink plenty of water. Slowly ease your self to a normal diet and avoid meat, fish, milk and eggs.

After undergoing the Master Cleanse, it is advisable to eat wisely. The gains derived from the Master Cleanse diet will surely be a powerful foundation to change old habits and start a life free from disease.

The lemonade recipe
The original recipe by Stanley Burroughs produced fantastic results for almost 50 years. However, some have been promoting alterations of the original recipe. The problem with this arrangement is that they are done without understanding why the original ingredients work. Since the Master Cleanse is essentially a juice fast, adding shakes, cayenne pepper capsules or protein powder in an attempt to improve its efficacy is self defeating because it reduces the efficacy of the diet.

The purpose of the program is to give the digestive tract a ten day vacation, so adding things to be digested does not contribute to the objective of the diet. Stanley Burroughs in fact discourages the intake of supplements and vitamins during the program because it interferes with the body’s elimination system. Furthermore, the natural sources of vitamins and minerals already found in lemon and the maple syrup already provide for the body’s needs during the detox program.

Other alterations include mistakes in the ratio of water through modification of the original recipe and dilution. This modification defeats the purpose of the minimum 6 drinks a day because it is more than the amount of water required. It is best to remember that variations on the process and especially in the recipe will not produce the results that originally worked for the many that faithfully followed the original Master Cleanse program and lemonade recipe.

This is the classic single serve recipe provided in Stanley Burrough’s book:

2 (tbs). of lemon or lime

2 (tbs). of genuine maple syrup

1/10 tsp cayenne pepper

10 oz. water (hot or cold as preferred)

For those who cannot enjoy their lemonade, Tom offers this alternative:

1. Mix equal parts of lemon juice and maple syrup as a concentrate in a dark container. Keep this mixture cool.

2. Make enough concentrate for as long as you are incapable of making the fresh lemonade juice.

3. Every time you want a glass of lemonade, measure 4 tbs. of this mixture in a glass.

4. Add water and cayenne pepper, stir and drink. The maple syrup preserves the lemon juice and prevents oxidation of the vitamin C and enzymes.

Tom Woloshyn fondly recalled Stanley Burrough’s remarks. He was said to have repeated many times over a phrase most technical people use when instructing frustrated customers, “When all else fails, follow the instructions.” In order to ensure success and experience the benefits of the Master Cleanse Detox diet, it is essential to understand how to do the program properly. Faithfully following what has been prescribed is the first step in this direction.

Sources for this article:
http://www.b-organized.biz/download/master_cleanse.pdf
http://www.google.com.ph
http://themastercleanse.com/master-cleanse/lemonade-diet/
http://themastercleanse.org/the-lemonade-diet/

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