Atkins to the Zone Diet Reviews

Weight loss plateau: the checklist

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie) — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 14:41:00 +0000

by Tanya Zilberter, PhD

Here's a brief overview of most possible reasons for hitting the plateau and brief advice on solutions.

Check out your inches loss.

If you are still losing inches, especially around your waist line, you don't hit your plateau at all.

You may be losing fat but gaining muscle mass.

Watch your body fat percent rather than body weight.

You had been losing fat too fast before you stalled.

Slow down. Eat more, specifically, eat more fat. Experiments have recently shown that after a certain level of fat loss is achieved, the fat tissue reduces the rate of fat burning. Let it pass and start all over again.

You may be eating too little fat

Higher proportion of fats in your diet will increase ketone body levels, which in its turn will reduce your appetite.

Polyunsaturated fatty acids of the omega-3 family, including fish oil, help in the work of fat burning enzymes.

You may be exercising too much

Though this is the last thing one suspects, it's more common than dieters think. You might be exercising too much.

Reduce your aerobic workout and include non-aerobic exercises in your routine.

A high aerobic fitness level is associated with a lower resting rate of fat burning and a lower production and utilisation of free fatty acids at rest.

You may be spending too little energy.

Finally, the most known reason. You might be spending too little energy beyound exercises. Move around more between exercises.

You may be doing wrong exercises

Resting fat burning is markedly increased in people involved in strenuous endurance training.

Adding more lean mass to your frame will also help you burn more calories at rest, so do your weights!

Keep your exercises challenging. A better fitness level causes a significant increase in the fat burning response in fat tissue towards adrenal hormones.

You may be too stressed out

Learn relaxation techniques. Learn how to improve your sleep quality.

Stress hormones were shown to slow down fat burning in the long run. Growth hormone, one of the most potent fat burners, is being released into the blood during sleep. You might also reduce your protein intake to help growth hormone releasing.

You might be having too calorie-dense food

Choose the least calorie dense foods and add more fiber. Calorie density is how many calories there is in a gram of food. The less the better. Calorie dense foods move faster through the stomach and intestines and result in lesser satiety.

You might be having too carbohydrate-rich food

Choose food with low glycemic index and containing less carb grams per food weight unit.

Not only how much energy but also how much carbohydrate there's in a gram of food can influence your weight. With carbs, it is also important how fast they can be digested, how much and how soon

Foods with higher glycemic index cause higher insulin level and therefore fat storing versus fat burning. They also decrease concentration of leptin in the blood and leptin is the major player in weight plateau game. Less leptin was shown to associate with more fat cells' number and size.

You might be having hidden carbs

Remember that there's no free carbs!

Count ALL carbs, including those in cheeses, cream, artificial sweeteners. Pay attention to these ingredients on nutrition information labels, they all contain carbs:

Isomalt
Lactitol
Maltitol
Mannitol
Sorbitol
Xylitol

You might be not having enough nutrients

See if you are having enough of these nutrients:

DHEA, omega-3 fatty acids, conjugated linoleic acid (CLA,) nicotinic acid (a B-group vitamin) - all these supplements were shown to help fat burning. Vitamin D deficiency can inhibit fat burning enzymes. Chromium , though no fat burner, can help in our particular case, low carb diets, by improving insulin sensitivity.

Tannic acid, which is abundant in teas, can inhibit fat depositing in adipose (fat) tissue. Besides, green tea works as a good natural "carb blocker". French clinical studies showed that8 grams of green tee extract a day resulted in greater weight loss than similar control diet.

You might be having wrong supplements

Supplements make up the greatest part of the super-profitable weight loss industry. Are all dieters that use them just salespeople's victims? Some doctors just do not believe in them, while health concerned people are taking them religiously, preferring one brands over another, depending on their beliefs and the selling art skills of supplement distributors.

Meanwhile, the matter has nothing to do with beliefs because there are scientific facts about vitamins and their effects on weight loss.

Vitamin A

The fat burning can be greatly influenced by vitamin A. Adipose tissue from vitamin A-deficient animals showed an increased fat burning rate. That would be great news for any dieter, however, in Nature, increased fat burning means that the body is wasting its energy resources. On the other hand, excess vitamin A caused a decrease in fat burning, so think again when you are going to take a vitamin A pill. [1]

Vitamins of B-group

Believe it or not, fat burning can be dangerous when products of lipolysis begin to circulate in the blood threatening to settle in the blood vessels sometimes forming deadly clogs. Luckily, one of the B-family, Nicotinic acid, seems to be able to prevent this unwanted effect. It actually prevented the increase in free fatty acids concentration that occurred during exercise. Levels of free fatty acids during the nicotinic acid treatment were significantly lower than control values during both exercise and recovery after exercise. [2]

Although after administration of nicotinic acid adipose tissue fat burning increased, the released fatty acids were retained in adipose tissue. [3] This effect of nicotinic acid allows it's use it as a protective measure on the development and progression of cardiovascular disease. [4]

Another b-family member, Carnitin enhanced fat burning. [5]

Vitamin C

Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) combined with Algae increased fat burning in a synergistic manner. [6] However, ascorbic acid decreases the lipolytic effect of stress as a result of its direct effect on fat (adipose) tissue [7]. It looks like vitamin C can help to increase fat burning at rest but it blunts the lipolysis already activated by stress through the emergency nervous system (sympathetic).

Here we come to a very interesting point that proves vitamins are principally different from drugs. A drug does always the same thing for you. If it is designed to decrease body temperature, for example, there's no way it will increase it in any circumstances. However, there is a class of biologically active substances that act depending on the body state. Their major purpose is to return a body function back to normal. They are adaptogenes. In this sense, vitamin C looks like an adaptogene, and so do some other vitamins as we'll see below.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D (or increased sensitivity to vitamin D) raises cholesterol levels. On the other hand, vitamin D2 acted to oppose stress-induced fat burning. [8, 9] It means that while working as a pro-lipolysis agent, vitamin D helps prevent a lipolysis from going too far. Doesn't it look like adaptogene again?

Vitamin E

Vitamin E so far is not known for its direct effect on fat burning, however, E-avitaminosis was shown to deteriorate the activity of the fat burning enzymes in the liver, skeletal muscles and kidneys. [10]. Alpha-tocopherol in rather high doses has been shown able to decrease fat burning activated by lack of oxygen, for example during anaesthesia [11], or after trauma [12], thus limiting the bad trauma-induced changes in metabolism. Adaptogene, isn't it?!

Vitamin K

Vitamin K is one more vitamin that protects against the unfavorable vasing lipolysis in the liver, skeletal muscles and kidneys. It was established that in rats with food K-avitaminosis, liver and skeletal muscle enzyme helping in the breakdown of lipids, lipase, was activated. The analogous changes in the activity of the test enzymes were discovered in animals given 'antivitamin' K -- pelentan. [10].

What kind of conclusion can be drawn out of these facts? Sorry guys, if you are looking for a magic bullet to dramatically increase fat burning, look somewhere else.

References

1. Ramachandran CK, et al. Metabolic potential of the adipose tissue of rats during hyper- and hypovitaminosis A. Proc Soc Exp Biol Med. 1986 May; 182(1): 73-78.
2. Trost S, et al. The effect of substrate utilization, manipulated by nicotinic acid, on excess postexercise oxygen consumption. Int J Sports Med. 1997 Feb; 18(2): 83-88.
3. Wahlberg G, et al. Effects of nicotinic acid treatment on glyceride formation and lipolysis in adipose tissue of hyperlipidemic patients. Int J Clin Lab Res. 1993; 23(2): 88-94.
4. Ishikawa T. Nicotinic acid and derivatives for therapy of hyperlipoproteinemia. Nippon Rinsho. 1994 Dec; 52(12): 3292-3297.
5. Koldovsky O, et al. Developmental aspects of lipid metabolism. Physiol Res. 1995; 44(6): 353-356.
6. Nakagawa H. Effect of dietary algae on improvement of lipid metabolism in fish. Biomed Pharmacother. 1997; 51(8): 345-348.
7. Misekova D. Lincova D. Hynie S. The effect of ascorbic acid on adrenergic lipolysis. Sbornik Lekarsky. 94(1):55-62, 1993.
8. Fassina G, et al. Effect of vitamin D2 on hormone-stimulated lipolysis in vitro. Eur J Pharmacol. 1969 Feb; 5(3): 286-290.
9. Fassina G, et al. Antagonistic action of vitamin D2 on noradrenaline-induced lipolysis in vitro. J Pharm Pharmacol. 1967 May; 19(5): 344.
10. Lider VA. Tissue lipolytic activity with various vitamin K and E allowances in white rats. Vopr Pitan. 1985 Sep; 5: 37-39.
11. Camus G, et al. Tocopherol mobilization during dynamic exercise after beta-adrenergic blockade. Arch Int Physiol Biochim. 1990 Mar; 98(1): 121-126.
12. Abidova SS, et al.The efficacy of using alpha-tocopherol during ftorotan anesthesia. Eksp Klin Farmakol. 1996 Jul; 59(4): 3-4.

Caffeine and caffeine-containing herbs

Caffeine increases fat burning and energy expenditure due to increased heat production and heat dissipation through the skin [1]. Another stimulator is theophilline well known for it's potent fat burning action [2, 3]. Theophillin is included in most of the controversial thigh creams. Some "fat burning" supplements contain caffeine as a chemical substance, those that claim that they are "all natural" include Caffeine-containing herbs such as Guarana or green tea or the like. Speaking of teas, they are different from coffee. Coffee, besides Caffeine, has morphine-like substances in its beans; they say this is why it is so addictive. Tea has naturally occurring tannins. Tannins occur naturally in relatively abundant amounts in fruits, herbal medicines and common beverages. Tannic acid can inhibit fat depositing in adipose (fat) tissue [4]. Which means that if you have a good piece of cake with a cup of strong tea, you have less chance that calories from the cake will go right into your fat cells.

DHEA

When it comes to fat burning, DEHA (dehydroepiandrosterone) seems to be easy to discuss: it just works. Studies showed that when a rat was treated with DHEA for 4 weeks, its body weight and fat mass were significantly less than the controls fed the same diet. However, by the end of week 3, fat-free mass (mostly muscles!) of the DHEA rats also decreased compared with the controls indicating that the non-fat tissues of the body began being burned, too. Neither food intake nor resting metabolism were different between groups [5]. This means that DEHA is determined to burn anything. Not much fat left? OK, it burns muscles.

There is more when it comes to the effects of DHEA. It influendes food preference and total energy intake, which led to a rapid decrease in the consumption of fat, protein and total calories.

Attention low carb dieters! In lean rats DHEA caused a change neither in its total energy consumption nor in its fat consumption, but did cause a preference for carbohydrate over protein!

Both the lean and obese lost weight while consuming the DHEA-supplemented diet. It was concluded that in the obese, DHEA alters macronutrient preference as well as caloric intake. In the lean rat, DHEA has a more subtle effect on relative macronutrient preference and not on total energy consumption. [7]

Bioflavonoids

One has to be careful considering bioflavonoids as weight loss supplements. Total bioflavonoids from red clover and various nuts, as well as Hesperetin, inhibited lipolysis stimulated by the stress-related chemical adrenaline. However, they increased epinephrine-induced fat burning. [8]

Quercetin and Fisetin, two naturally occurring bioflavonoids mobilized fat burning enzymes in the fat cells (adipocytes.) These results suggest that the flavonoids act synergistically with epinephrine on beta-adrenergic receptor of fat cell membrane [9] and that the effect was stronger as the dose of flavonoids increased [10].

Fibers are not all created equal.

This time, the inhibitory effect of fibers on lipolysis works for you: the lipolysis mentioned here occurs in the intestines and these fats are not your body's but those you consumed with food. The less efficient lipolysis is there, the less fat end- products will be absorbed and utilized by the body, including your fat tissue.Some fibers inhibit lipolysis (red wheat bran, white wheat bran, oat bran and sugarbeet fiber), whereas most did not (psyllium seed, pectin LM 12CG, carrageenan, carboxymethylcellulose, gum arabic, and pectin slow set) [11].

Two plant fibers have been shown to activate this kind of lipolysis. Eleven plant sources (avocado, walnut, pinenut, coconut, lupin, lentils, chickpea, mungbean, oats, castor beans and eggplant) were screened for lipolytic activity. Only two of the sources (castor bean and dehulled oats) showed significant lipolytic activity [12].

Looking beyound lipolysis, any fibers work for weight loss because they decrease the overall "food utilization efficiency," some -- up to 2 times! It means that a muffin baked with a cup of bran will load you with only a part calories than the same muffine baked with no bran, even if it is the red wheat bran that inhibits lipolysis.

Essential fatty acids

Supplementation with polyunsaturated fatty acids of the omega-3 family, including fish oil, normalized activity of lipolytic enzymes. [13]. On the other hand, n-3 fatty acid replacement of a high-fat diet containing mostly saturated fats promotes reduced use of fat as an energy source. [48] It looks like there are two different processes: one is to get the fat ready for burning, what the lipolytic enzymes do, another is to really burn them, which is not always happens. For example carbohydrates may be used as a fuel instead, and all the fats will circulate in your body undemanded.

In this sense, so called conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) looks much better. Mice fed CLA-supplemented diet had up to 60% lower body fat and up to 14% increased lean body mass relative to controls. The effects of CLA on body composition appear to be due in part to reduced fat deposition and increased lipolysis in adipocytes, possibly coupled with enhanced fatty acid oxidation in both muscle cells and adipocytes. [14]

Chromium

The facts about chromium might surprise you after all you've heard about its fat burning effects. Net lipolysis in adipose tissue of rats fed a diet supplemented with chromium was significantly lower than that from adipose tissue taken from chromium-unsupplemented rats. [15]

There was a double-blind, placebo-controlled protocol to study effects of chromium picolinate on body composition. Participants were healthy, active-duty Navy personnel who exceeded the Navy's percent body fat standards of 22% fat for men, 30% for women. Chromium group failed to show a significantly greater reduction in either percent body fat or body weight, or a greater increase in lean body mass, than did the placebo group. [16]
However, let's keep it in our minds, that chromium has beneficial effects normailsing glucose tolerance.

Microelements

Nickel decreased adrenaline and glucagon-stimulated lipolysis in rat fat-cells, and also considerably stimulated glucose incorporation into fat-cell lipids. These effects pretty much resembled those of insulin. These results were also observed with Copper, Cobalt, and (to a lesser extent) with Magnesium. [17]

Calcium

The enzymes of lipolysis and lipogenesis are sensitive to Calcium. Calcium concentrations affect both insulin secretion and insulin action. Raising intestinal Calcium (by taking Calcium with food) lowers serum cholesterol and triglycerides thus indicating a decreased lipolysis. [18]

References

1. Arciero PJ. Gardner AW. Calles-Escandon J. Benowitz NL. Poehlman ET. Effects of Caffeine ingestion on NE kinetics, fat oxidation, and energy expenditure in younger and older men. American Journal of Physiology. 268(6 Pt 1):E1192-8, 1995
2. Kuppusamy UR. Das NP. Potentiation of beta-adrenoceptor agonist-mediated lipolysis by quercetin and fisetin in isolated rat adipocytes. Biochemical Pharmacology. 47(3):521-9, 1994
3. Kuppusamy UR. Das NP. Effects of flavonoids on cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase and lipid mobilization in rat adipocytes. Biochemical Pharmacology. 44(7):1307-15, 1992
4. Ong KC. Khoo HE. Das NP. Tannic acid inhibits insulin-stimulated lipogenesis in rat adipose tissue and insulin receptor function in vitro. Experientia. 51(6):577-84, 1995
5. Tagliaferro AR. Ronan AM. Payne J. Meeker LD. Tse S. Increased lipolysis to beta-adrenergic stimulation after dehydroepiandrosterone treatment in rats. American Journal of Physiology. 268(6 Pt 2):R1374-80, 1995
6. Hankey CR, et al. Plasma lipids, dehydroepiandosterone sulphate and insulin concentrations in elderly overweight angina patients, and effect of weight loss. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord. 1997 Jan; 21(1): 72-77.
7. Svec F, et al. Dehydroepiandrosterone and macronutrient selection by obese Zucker rats (fa/fa). Appetite. 1995 Oct; 25(2): 143-154.
8. Kuppusamy UR, et al. Antilipolytic action of hesperetin in rat adipocytes. Planta Med. 1993 Dec; 59(6): 508-512.
9. Kuppusamy UR. Das NP. Potentiation of beta-adrenoceptor agonist-mediated lipolysis by quercetin and fisetin in isolated rat adipocytes. Biochemical Pharmacology. 47(3):521-9, 1994
10. Kuppusamy UR. Das NP. Effects of flavonoids on cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase and lipid mobilization in rat adipocytes. Biochemical Pharmacology. 44(7):1307-15, 1992
11. Hendrick JA. Tadokoro T. Emenhiser C. Nienaber U. Fennema OR. Various dietary fibers have different effects on lipase-catalyzed hydrolysis of tributyrin in vitro. Journal of Nutrition. 122(2):269-77, 1992
12. Tursi JM. Phair PG. Barnes GL. Plant sources of acid stable lipases. Journal of Paediatrics & Child Health. 30(6):539-43, 1994
13. Tutel'ian VA. Samsonov MA. Vasil'ev AV. Bogdanova SN. Pogozheva AV. Varsanovich EA. Abakumov AS. Effects of polyunsaturated fatty acids of the omega-3 family on the activity of lysosomal lipolytic enzymes. Voprosy Pitaniia. (5):17-21, 1993
14. Park Y, et al. Effect of conjugated linoleic acid on body composition in mice. Lipids. 1997 Aug; 32(8): 853-858.
15. O'Flaherty EJ, et al. Alterations of rat adipose tissue metabolism associated with dietary chromium supplementation. J Nutr. 1978 Feb; 108(2): 321-328.
16. Trent LK, Thieding-Cancel D Effects of chromium picolinate on body composition. J Sports Med Phys Fitness 1995 Dec;35(4):273-280
17. Saggerson ED, et al. Insulin-like actions of nickel and other transition-metal ions in rat fat-cells. Biochem J. 1976 Feb 15; 154(2): 349-357.
18. Ritz E, et al. Phosphate, calcium and lipid metabolism. Adv Exp Med Biol. 1980; 128: 197-208.

Be careful with these supplements:

Taking DHEA for too long can cause muscle burning and result in reduced fat burning at rest.
Bioflavonoids from nuts and red clover and such as Hesperetin, Quercetin and Fisetin, can inhibit fat burning already initiated by some reason, by e.g. by exercise.

Microelements Nickel, Copper, Cobalt, and (to a lesser extent) Magnezium , decreased stimulated fat burning in rat fat cells, and also considerably stimulated glucose incorporation into fat-cell lipids. These effects pretty much resembled those of insulin.

Similar effects can have excess of vitamins C, D, and K

Is basketball any good for fat loss?

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie) — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 13:17:00 +0000

The NEW definition of fat loss training revealed

By Tom Venuto, NSCA-CPT, CSCS
Burn The Fat
QUESTION: Hi Tom. I have asked several other experts about
this and so far no one seems to give me an EXACT answer.

Some trainers tell me I have to go steady and nonstop
for 30 minutes or more to burn fat. Others tell me
I have to do intervals and they have to be in a
very specific ratio of work to recovery interval.

I'm getting tired of my cardio ritual and would like a change.
I love basketball. I could play for an hour and enjoy every
minute of it, and I feel like i'm getting a good workout
doing it.

But is it really the same for fat burning as a good, steady,
intense run?

thank you

Dan 

ANSWER: Dan, I just plugged in basketball to my calorie calculator
and it says that if you weigh 185 pounds, moderate basketball
(full court game play) burns 839 calories per hour.

Moderate basketball (non-game) is 528 calories per hour. I'm
guessing "non-game" means either half court or just casual play
with your buddies.

Either way, 528-839 calories burned per hour sounds like a good
fat burner to me. Don't you agree?

Actually, I wouldn't argue with you if you wanted to say it's
better than steady cardio because you'll have a variety of
different challenges and intensity levels - running down the court,
jumping, pivoting, shooting - and you said you enjoy it.

If you feel guilty when you finish your game, as if you didn't
do enough, when the game is over, just run intervals up and
down the court... do about 6-10 of them or until you yak.
(just kidding).

If I were to ever upgrade the information in my book about
"cardio" today, I don't think I would change my recommendations
much. However, I might change some of the language to make it
clearer that fat loss is about BURNING calories and that your
choices are virtually infinite.

The problem, in my opinion?

The word "Aerobics" sets people off... especially the macho guys.

There's an instant emotional connotation carried in the word "aerobics,
and it's negative for many people.

"Aerobics" is also usually a very narrow definition, making for
a fairly small list of choices.

I like the word "cardio" a little better, because it's a little broader,
but even "cardio" carries with it some pre-conceived notions and
it's unclear whether it's a good fat burner.

Is basketball cardio?  I suppose it depends on your definition.

Is basketball a good fat burner? Heck yeah. But you might not think
so if you were inflexible about how you define exercise and training.

What I would do if I wanted to most clearly define what makes
a good fat burner, I'd recommend that you focus on:
 
"INCREASING ENERGY EXPENDITURE" (BURN MORE!)

This description leaves the choice of activity up to your own
personal interpretation and personal preference.

Is 500 to 800 calories per hour expended a lot of energy
to expend? You bet. Better still is the fact that you enjoy it.

I know, I know, everyone wants to be told EXACTLY what to do;
how many minutes, what intensity, what type, what heart rate,
blah, blah, blah, and gurus are infamous for being dogmatic
about their systems as the "best way" or "only way."

But what if Dan loves basketball and Tom loves the Stepmill
and Joe loves to jog and Kyle likes calisthenics and John likes
kettlebells and Suzy likes kickboxing? Then what?

By changing your language and focusing on increasing "energy
expenditure" (Burning more), and considering personal likes
and dislikes, that should change your conception
of what efficient fat burning exercise is.

DEFINITION OF GOOD FAT BURNING EXERCISE =
High # of calories burned/expended

DEFINITION OF GREAT FAT BURNING EXERCISE =
High # of calories burned/expended per unit of time

DEFINITION OF WHOOP-ASS FAT BURNING EXERCISE =
High # of calories burned in a short period of time
and you love doing it!  It's play time!

Fat oxidation and excess post exercise energy expenditure and
all that other scientific stuff (that I could bore you to death
talking about) does matter, but your primary focus should be on:

1) Burning as many calories as you can in the time you have.

2) Finding something you like to do.

3) Focusing on RESULTS above all else... Is your body fat
decreasing or not?

Using my new definition for fat burning exercise should help lift
the fog of confusion that has been created by only defining fat
burning exercise as"aerobics" or "cardio."

The word "Aerobics" is somewhat restrictive in scope and
definition. The possibilites for "expending energy" are endless.

Unfortunately, so are excuses for not doing it.

So now, go forth and BURN THE FAT!

Train hard and expect success,
 
Tom Venuto
Fat Loss Coach

PS. By the way, you don't see a lot of fat jiggling around the
court in the NBA do you?

Rotating carb intake to melt belly fat

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie) — Fri, 16 May 2008 15:15:00 +0000

Memorial Day weekend in the United States is just about here. And in America, that means the unofficial start to the summer is looming.

And all those favorite foods of yours - the hot dogs, hamburgers, French fries, corn-on-the-cob with butter, sausages, brats, ribs...- they're all going to be proudly displayed for your consumption.

How do you plan on handling that?

Those programs that tell you "eat whatever you want and still lose weight" crack me up. I'm not going to be the guy to tell you it's ok to eat a gallon of ice cream to soothe your achin' tummy after slamming down those three corn dogs. Uh-uh.

Yes, you can still eat some of your favorite foods in moderation at certain times. It makes no sense whatsoever to deprive yourself of the foods you love. But can you eat whatever you want whenever you want and still look great naked? Please. You know the answer to that.

But if you're worried how that swimsuit of yours is going to fit this summer, well, I can tell you right now I've got a full-proof method to help you slide right in it.

Rotating your carb intake in just the right way - the proven scientific way - will cut up to 15 lbs off your frame in no time flat. It'll melt that flab right off your belly, butt and thighs.

Here comes summer. Are YOU ready?

Yours in health,

Jayson Hunter, RD, CSCS

PS - I couldn't keep the testimonials from flooding in if I tried. He's yet ANOTHER new one for my Carb Rotation Diet:

"I started the Carb Rotation Diet the beginning of March 2008. As a personal trainer and former bodybuilding competitor I have had a lot of experience with different nutritional programs. I really like your program because it is SO easy to follow.

I have lost 6 pounds and went down a size in just 5 weeks. And since I'm already in great shape thanks to my job, these results are outstanding!

Great stuff, thanks, Jayson!"

Phyllis Frost
Certified Fitness Consultant
28 Years of Experience

The contents of this article are not to be considered as medical advice. Always consult a physician before beginning or changing any fitness program.

Artificial sweeteners - good or bad?

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie) — Thu, 15 May 2008 10:34:00 +0000

Forget almost everything you know about artificial sweeteners and weight gain...

Run a search on the Internet for "artificial sweeteners", and you’ll find plenty of claims that these products are responsible for everything from cancer and headaches to the impending destruction of the human race.

The popularity of low-carbohydrate diets has increased demand for low-carbohydrate, low-sugar foods. Check the shelves of your local supermarket, and you’ll find ice cream with no sugar added, sugar-free syrup, low-sugar cookies, diet soda and many other treats. However, many people are worried that their diet soda is giving them headaches, multiple sclerosis or increasing their risk of certain forms of cancer.

There are also reports that artificial sweeteners, such as aspartame (also known as NutraSweetT) or acesulfame-K will stimulate your appetite, leading to a gain in weight. Because they're widely used in many soft drinks, such as Coca-Cola or Sprite, many people are worried that artificially-sweetened soft drinks will lead to weight gain...

The rest of this report is available in the Members-Only Area. Subscribe to the Members-Only Area and you'll enjoy immediate access to a "secret vault" of expert knowledge and university-tested tips and tricks you can use to shed stubborn fat once and for all... get bigger biceps, broader shoulders, a bigger bench press... or strip away the fat from your belly to reveal a flat and attractive stomach. Click here now to join.

Set point to blame for weight loss plateau

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie) — Thu, 15 May 2008 10:27:00 +0000

by Tanya Zilberter, PhD

What is the body weight set point? Of course you do know what the set point means, just think of your refrigerator: it's the point you set to maintain the inside temperature you want.

To maintain the temperature you want, your refrigerator needs a few simple hardware gadgets.

1. a thermometer to measure the actual temperature in the refrigerator;
2. some wire to send the reading to the thermostat;
3. a motor to produce more cool air (if needed);
4. a controlling device that reads temperature information and compares it with the temperature you wanted.

If the actual temperature is not what you meant, one of two commands go to the motor: make more cool air or to stop doing it. There can always be outside disturbances in the system - you kid forgot to shut the refrigerator's door, or you switched on your AC- but the thermostat is designed to counteract them.

Though different in details, absolutely same parts make up the human body's thermostat.

As technical systems can control not only temperature but, say, humidity as well, human body's can control any parameter including blood sugar level, body fat, blood pressure and the like.
What is the body-weight set point?

Body-weight set point is Nature's idea of what amount of fat you need. The human body's "thermostat" for body fat does have same principal elements:

1. a "thermometer" for body fat ("lipometer") to measure the actual fat content in the body;

2. some "wire" ("chemosensory pathways", including those sensing Leptin) to send the reading to the "thermostat" ("Lipostat");

3. an "engine" to produce more fat (if needed);

4. a controlling device that reads fat information and compares it with the set fat Nature wanted.

If the fat reading is incorrect one of two commands go to the "engine": eat more or to stop eating.

As with your refrigerator, there can always be outside disturbances in the system but the system is designed to counteract them. We expend calories physical work, for body heat, to rebuild the body's tissues after damages or to renew them on regular basis, like skin tissue or mucous membranes do. It takes a lot of energy to produce immune bodies or blood cells, etc. A lot of energy goes into our fat deposits as energy reserves. To stay healthy, we need to maintain a certain, quite precise, percentage of body-weight as a fat deposit.

The only way to get calories is to eat. That is simple -- Thou shalt not overeat. Then where do our problems with weight come from? Researchers are making tremendous efforts to answer these questions. Is the system able to automatically regulate itself? What happens when one is allowed to eat as much as he or she is pleases? It depends.

Do we need to control our breathing?

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie) — Thu, 15 May 2008 10:14:00 +0000

To Breathe or not to Breathe?
by Tanya Zilberter, PhD

"...look, everybody breathes in pure oxygen, but tries to breath out all kinds of filth!"

A. Raikin

Necessary as air means most necessary. Our breathing process is unique in many ways. Everyone knows how long a man can live without food, water and air. Without air -- almost no time. A few minutes, and brain cortex dies. Also unique is the availability of air: so far no one came up with a way to sell it. Finally, unique is the process's character which is almost automatic. Almost. That's the topic for today.

A man is sitting in a closed room and is doing something. The window is closed, the air conditioner is off. Oxygen is consumed, carbon dioxide is exhaled, thus increasing the CO2 concentration in the room. What happens?

None can say for sure! In a short period of time a number of following might change:

Breathing depth
Breathing frequency
Heart's contraction strength
Pulse
Blood flow velocity
Blood vessel resistance
Oxygen availability to tissues (how easily it is transferred from hemoglobin into tissues)

In a longer period of time, something else will change:

Lungs' vital capacity (how much air is taken in for the deepest breath)
Amount of hemoglobin
Amount of erythrocytes (red blood cells carrying oxygen)
Eritropeses (production of erythrocytes in bone marrow)

Your breathing function is affected by the combination of all these parameters which in turn are related to each other, how -- it's impossible to predict. Moreover, each time, random combination might "fall out." So when something changes in the oxygen availability to tissues or you change your breathing, your body brilliantly evades to compensate for those changes.

So do we need to control our breathing?

Seems that a healthy animal or a child has no need to. Some breathing techniques manuals instruct to uncover a baby and see how rhythmically it's stomach rises and falls. The chest barely moves. That type of breathing is called diaphragmal, because the diaphragm, a muscle between the chest and stomach is the one that makes the lungs expand and contract. That type of breathing is meant for quiet body state.

When an awakened baby cries, it is visible that the chest starts working to take in as much air as possible. It is an emergency breathing. It is meant for stress and hard physical efforts. In rest, the body functions' control is overrun by parasympathetic autonomous nervous system. In emergency cases -- it is taken over by a competitive nervous system, the sympathetic one. It increases body's work in order to escape a predator, chase a prey, or endure fear or rage. For example, the heart rate is increased, blood vessels contract to avoid losing too much blood in case of a wound, and so on. Functions that are not immediately needed, like intestinal movement, are slowed down.

Several US universities have developed the test predicting the development of premature babies. If the control of parasympathetic system is dominating, the prognosis is definitely better: the possibility of cerebral palsy, mental retardation and other typical pathologies of premature babies, is much less. Domination of the sympathetic nervous system, in babies as well as in adults, on the other hand provides for not so good a prediction. Of course, the body is more comfortable under the parasympathetic control, and the latter is dominant until something out of the ordinary happens.

Nevertheless, like in many other cases, we are deviating from the natural order of things. In this case, it is an abuse of the sympathetic system's services. Hence are the tendencies to high blood pressure, increased pulse, etc. Hence is the emergency type of breathing when it is not needed.

Try breathing as deep and as fast as you can. Soon, you will get dizzy and might even get a headache. Asthma victims might get an asthma attack. People with heart problems might get an anginaattack. It looks as though our body's in trouble and the weakest points fail first, which is natural.

There is a disease, panic attacks, a major symptom of which is a strong, uncontrollable fear and frantic hysterical breathing. Do you know how that panic attack is fought? It's hard to believe, but the victim is made to breathe into a paper bag (brown paper bag #4). What happens was recorded by placing a gas sensor inside the bag. After it is breathed in for a short time, the concentration of carbon dioxide inside increases. Then the attack stops. Turns out, not only the lack of oxygen but also the lack of carbon dioxide is harmful to the body. In the "Medline" there are many hundreds of clinical and experimental evidences on the harm of lack of carbon dioxide (hypocapnia), along with good effects of moderate hypercapnia.

Read more: Is deep breathing good for you?

Does taste contribute to weight gain?

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie) — Thu, 15 May 2008 10:06:00 +0000

Researchers say "probably"

There are multiple links between taste perceptions, taste preferences, food preferences, and food choices and the amount of food we eat.

The "set point" for the body weight seems to be determined by psychological factors

Palatability elevates body-weight set point

Particular sensory and nutrient combinations in foods can facilitate overeating

What can one do? There's how to outwit the body weight set point . Read these weight loss tips. What you really crave, can be not food at all. Why?<>In some respects, it has to do with endorphins. We often overeat to comfort ourselves during periods of stress, pain, or boredom - the situations that Endorphins are created to ease. Eating is only one of the ways to make them release into the blood. Besides, they can directly control eating: the less endorphins -- the worse overeating (Am. J. Psychiatry 148:1086-1090; 1992)<>

We know that eating will produce a pleasant sensation so we eat even all we need is to comfort ourselves. Some leading experts advise to ask oneself every time you feel the urge to open the refrigerator: "What is it I really need? A glass of water? A walk? A hug (to say the least)?" Some reveal engaging in even very exotic measures like laying on the bed of nails or holding the breath (to gain some carbon dioxide). The truth is, all these will increase endorphin level while only eating, especially when your body does not need it, will cause extra pounds of fat to collect in your body's stores.

Tanya Zilberter, PhD

Waistline and body type

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie) — Wed, 14 May 2008 12:05:00 +0000

What Your Waistline Can Tell Your Doctor

by Tanya Zilberter, PhD

And you thought narrow waist was only important for models!

The National Institutes of Health guidelines indicate that within each BMI category, the health risk increases in a graded fashion so that those with high waist circumference are at a greater health risk than those with narrower waistline. Why?

First of all, because the waist circumference, as simple as it is, tells a lot about body fat types, distribution, and harmful health effects. If you look at a picture of human skeleton, you’ll see that in the waist region there’s absolutely nothing below the ribcage but a spinal column — so it doesn’t make any sense to talk about waists of tall and short people as well as about large and small frames. Even bodybuilders with muscles bulging all over the body have narrow waists.

Another thing about the “apple” body shape is that the fat concentrated around the middle is a different, worse type of fat than the fat on thighs or upper trunk. People having the “apple” body shape are particularly prone to developing abnormal lipid profiles and insulin resistance. The cells here (adipocytes) are overly sensitive to stress, alcohol intake, and smoking.

When metabolic syndrome is present, the abdominal fat cells seem to have a high density of several important hormone receptors which stimulate fat storage and inhibit lipolysis, leading to further abdominal fat depositing — thus creating a vicious cycle. However, here’s the good news: these same fat cells are also very sensitive to dietary carbohydrate restriction. You might remember the South Beach diet’s slogan: “Belly fat goes first!” Indeed it goes first when the dieters cut down on refined carbohydrates.

An interesting thing about abdominal fat is that although a diet can reduce belly fat total volume, it fails to reduce the size of fat cells here, unless exercise is added to the equation, according to new research from Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center.

Another interesting thing was reported by researchers from the Cooper Institute, Dallas, TX. They put sedentary obese women on exercise programs of different intensities: 4, 8, or 12 kcal per one kilogram of body weight per week — and showed that although only the highest intensity was good for weight loss, any exercise intensity was good for shrinking the waistline.

Calories or Kcalories?

Let me explain the calorie numbers. Kcal in fact means 1000 calories, but since in popular literature we usually deal with 1000s of calories, people are used to thinking of them as just calories. However, technically they are so-called “big calories” or Calories with capital C.

To give you an idea what it takes to burn 12 kcal/kg/week, here’s an example. A man weighing 170 pounds (77 kg) and exercising at 12 kcal/kg/week burns 924 Calories every week and can do this by walking for almost three hours or running at 6 mph for one hour .

Sources

International Journal of Obesity, August 2006
Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, May 2006

Atkins Recipes vs Banta Recipes

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie) — Mon, 12 May 2008 12:06:00 +0000

Q: How are Banta Recipes different from Atkins Diet recipes?

A: One thing is, Dr. Atkins diet disregards the ketogenic properties of foods. Dieters are being encourage to watch only carbohydrate grams.

Meanwhile, to be a ketogenic food, it should meet a certain criterion called ketogenic ratio (we named it Fat Burning Index because this is what it's all about) which depends on not only carb grams but also on the exact proportion between carb, fat, and protein constituents of a food or meal.

The Fat Burning Index of a food is the only thing in the world that can predict whether or not the body will allow to burn its own fat after consuming this food. Here comes the true Negative Calorie Balance: you eat a food that results in less calories stored in your fat depots! To burn body's fat, a food should have Fat Burning Index above 1.5

Here are examples of Atkins recipes with LOW Fat Burning Index (below 1.5) which make them non-ketogenic foods promoting insulin release and blocking fat burning. Click here to see Banta Recipe samples with high Fat Burning Index

Recipe	Fat Burning Index ™	Carb grams
Cucumber, Mango and Black Bean Salad	0.11	9.5
Japanese Chicken Kabobs	0.45	13
Mexican-Style Oysters	0.58	22.9
Japanese-style Skewers	0.63	20.9
Stir-Fried Shrimp with Jalapeno-Mint-Ginger Sauce & Mango	0.68	20
Spinach Rolls	0.70	23
Pizzettes (Mini Toaster-Oven Pizzas)	0.71	4.5
Warm Scallop Salad	0.75	11
Divine Crab Cakes	0.76	8
Oysters in Muscat	0.78	21.9
Mussels in White Wine	0.79	12.9
Pork Satay	0.84	12
Portobello and Ricotta Crostini	0.94	5.5
Seared Scallops with Orange and Vermouth	0.98	11
Maple Chicken Strips	1.02	0
Leek Quiche	1.05	8
Mini Mexican Pizza Squares	1.08	4
Lidia's Barbeque Shrimp Wrapped in Prosciutto	1.09	2
Prosciutto Chicken Frittata	1.09	15
Oysters and Clams on Spinach	1.11	13
Shrimp with Fresh Herbs	1.12	5
Crab Cakes with Horseradish Cream	1.14	24
Shrimp Marinated in Lemon and Olive Oil	1.14	2.9
Gravlax and Smoked Salmon Terrine	1.17	18
Creole Shrimp Salad	1.18	1
Chicken and Beef Satays with Peanut Dipping Sauce	1.20	2.9
Atkins Garlic Toast Crisps	1.22	2
Shrimp Cocktail with Two Sauces	1.24	1.49
Smoked Irish Cod Roe Timbale	1.25	2.99
Crab Cakes	1.25	9
Goat Cheese Tart with Artichoke and Black Olive "Salsa"	1.27	28
Coconut Chicken Satays	1.32	3
Shrimp in Garlic Sauce	1.32	3.99
Scallops or Shrimp with Pesto and Cherry Tomatoes	1.33	8.5
Baked Stuffed Mushrooms with Sausage and Mozzarella	1.36	0.99
Lobster Salad with Curried Vinaigrette	1.37	15
Garlic Shrimp	1.39	4
Szechwan Sausage Wraps	1.39	11
Spinach-Artichoke Dip	1.42	5
Baked Artichoke-Parsley Cheese Squares	1.45	4.5
Grilled Lamb on Skewers	1.46	18
Goat Cheese Tart	1.47	21
Scallops Wrapped in Bacon	1.48	3.5
Salmon-Stuffed Zucchini	1.48	1
Spicy Maple Chicken Wings	1.48	3.2
Lemon-Ginger Shrimp	1.49	2.99

Here are examples of recipes from our collection, with Fat Burning Index ™ (above 1.5) which make them ketogenic foods inhibiting insulin release and promoting fat burning.

Recipe	Fat Burning Index ™	Carb grams
Caponata	1.57	4.00
Beef Roulades	1.58	8.00
Scallop Cocktail with Avocado	1.62	3.50
Atkins Red-Pepper Pancakes with Smoked Salmon	1.66	3.00
Bayonne Ham and Sheep's Milk Cheese Terrine	1.69	3.00
Pigs in A Blanket	1.70	4.00
Classic Gefilte Fish	1.70	5.00
Savory Nut Mix	1.73	7.50
Savory Meatballs	1.80	0.50
Popcorn Garlic Shrimp	1.81	1.50
Western Ham Roll-Ups	1.81	1.50
Smoky Chicken Wings	1.82	2.00
Garlic Dill Meatballs	1.82	1.50
Shrimp Boil with Spicy Butter Sauce	1.83	6.00
Baked Goat Cheese and Ricotta Custards	1.84	3.50
Grilled Chicken Paillards with Dijon Mustard Sauce	1.86	3.00
Herbed and Spicy Steak Tartare	1.87	2.00
Baked Eggplant Puree	1.88	2.50
Marinated Queso Fresco	1.89	3.00
Brie Cheese and Chicken Sandwiches	1.91	14.00
Nutty Meatballs	1.97	1.50
Beefsteak Tomato Stack	1.98	13.00
King Crab Dip	2.00	1.00
Baked Goat Cheese with Garden Lettuces	2.02	26.00
Barbeque Steak	2.02	7.00
Smoked Turkey and Cheddar Spread	2.04	2.00
Feta and Olive Meatballs	2.04	14.00
Deviled Eggs	2.05	2.00
Creamy Crab Dip	2.11	1.00
Cattle Ranch Beef Spread	2.15	3.00
Chicken Liver Pâté	2.21	1.20
Chicken Tenders in Tarragon Cream Sauce	2.23	2.00
Spicy Crab Dip	2.32	0.50
Baked Brie with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Pine Nuts	2.35	0.50
Prosciutto Pillows Stuffed with Goat Cheese	2.37	2.00
Cheese Straws	2.45	1.00
Guacamole	2.59	2.00
Marinated Goat Cheese with Fresh Oregano	2.61	1.00
Beef Carpaccio with Arugula and Caper Vinaigrette	2.71	1.00
Sweet and Spicy Nuts	2.93	2.50
Buffalo Chicken Wings	3.02	5.50
Sesame-Tofu Dip	3.18	1.50
Green Olives with Lemon and Rosemary	3.19	2.00
Black Olives with Lemon and Fennel	3.38	2.00
Chipotle Grilled Chicken Skewers	3.47	1.00
Italian Tuna Pâté	3.88	0.00
Chile Roasted Macadamia Nuts	4.09	2.50
Bagna Cauda	4.91	1.00
Satay Sauce	5.68	2.00

Click here to see more sample recipes with high Fat Burning Index

Potatoes: pros and cons

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie) — Wed, 07 May 2008 13:23:00 +0000

One thing that makes potatoes a unique food is its extremely high Satiety Index. Calorie for calorie, potatoes gave the highest hunger satisfaction, seven times higher than the least-filling croissants and 30 percent higher than the 'next best' on the list, fish.

What is this satiety index?

It’s been less than two hours since your last meal. So, why do you feel this almost uncontrollable urge to snack? Researchers have been asking the same question for some time. In fact, virtually everyone who has tried to lose weight and suffered from severe hunger pangs finds it hard to believe that you can actually eat fewer calories while still feeling full.

You're about to discover a powerful tool known as the satiety index. Compiled by the same team of scientists responsible for popularizing the glycemic index, the satiety (pronounced sat-eye-a-tee) index tells you quickly and easily which foods keep you feeling fuller for...

The rest of this report is available in the Members-Only Area. Subscribe to the Members-Only Area and you'll enjoy immediate access to a "secret vault" of expert knowledge and university-tested tips and tricks you can use to shed stubborn fat once and for all... get bigger biceps, broader shoulders, a bigger bench press... or strip away the fat from your belly to reveal a flat and attractive stomach. Click here now to join.

If you're a member, you can click here to continue reading.

Nutritional values

Amount Per 1 potato with skin

Calories 22.04
Calories from Fat 0.342

% Daily Value *

Total Fat 0.038g		0%

	Saturated Fat 0.00988g	0%

	Polyunsaturated Fat 0.0163g

	Monounsaturated Fat 0.00076g

Cholesterol 0mg		0%

Sodium 3.8mg		0%

Potassium 156.94mg		4%

Total Carbohydrate 4.73g		2%

	Dietary Fiber 0.95g	4%

Protein 0.977g		2%

The Diet to Improve Cholesterol Numbers

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie) — Wed, 07 May 2008 13:09:00 +0000

by Tanya Zilberter, PhD

Numerous studies have convincingly shown the effects of low carbohydrate, ketogenic diets on weight loss in people with obesity but until recently, the long term beneficial effect was not investigated and it was believed that ketogenic diet may have adverse effect on the lipid profiles.

In April 2006, the Journal of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry published an article describing how , LDL, triglycerides, and blood glucose level changed in the course of a 56-week long ketogenic diet program.During this study, 66 healthy but obese people lost lot of weight independently of their initial lipid profiles. Those with increased cholesterol, LDL, triglycerides, and blood glucose level significantly decreased them all by the end of the study.

Before entering the program, all obese people (even those having othersise normal lipid profiles) had decreased levels of HDL (”good” cholesterol) numbers. After the program, all participants increased their HDL levels.

“This study demonstrates that low carbohydrate diet is safe to use for a longer period of time in obese subjects with a high total cholesterol level and those with normocholesterolemia,” concluded the researchers.

Source:

H. Dashti at all., Long Term Effects of Ketogenic Diet in Obese Subjects with High Cholesterol Level. Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, V. 286, 1-2, 2006.

The Food-insulin Link

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie) — Wed, 07 May 2008 13:06:00 +0000

Anti-insulin : Pro-insulin Ratio

by Tanya Zilberter, PhD

It’s no surprise that different foods influence insulin release differently. But how, exactly? Which food components called macro-nutrients are pro-insulin and which are anti-insulin?

The Wilder’s Formula

In 1920s, neurologists were desperate to find an alternative to existing antiepileptic drugs to control the drug-resistant form of childhood seizures. They found that making the brain to run on ketone bodies instead of glucose (which is normally the brain’s fuel of choice) reduces or completely stops the seizures in up to 90% of children with intractable epilepsy.

At the Mayo Clinic in 1921, Dr. R.M. Wilder created a diet that was designed to mimic the biochemical changes occurring during fasting when the preferred carbohydrate biochemical pathway is being switched to lipid pathway using body’s own fat for fuel. The clinical ketogenic diet was born.

Since that time, clinical dietitians used the Wilder formula describing (in the terms of ketosis) the interplay of insulin and its antagonist glucagon. The ratio determines how “ketogenic” the diet is - the higher the ratio, the more ketogenic the diet — and the more “anti-insulin” it is. With the Metabolic Syndrome in mind, it’s convenient to use the terms: “anti-insulin” (AI) instead of “ketogenic” and “pro-insulin” (PI) instead of anti-ketogenic. Then the formula will be read as the following:

AI : PI = (0.9 fat plus 0.46 protein) : (1.0 carb plus 0.1 fat plus 0.54 protein)

The numbers preceding the nutrient names are coefficients that are calculated basing on the nutrient’s ability to cause or to oppose the release of insulin.

• Carbohydrate is assigned the coefficient 1.0 because it is an absolute pro-insulin nutrient. The more carbohydrate grams a food contains, the more insulin release it causes.

• Fat is a 90-percent anti-insulin nutrient because it is only 10-percent efficient in releasing insulin.

• Protein is something in-between. For every 1 gram of protein consumed, roughly 1/2 gram will be converted into glucose, thus raising insulin levels.

However, the 1/2 gram of consumed protein will also stimulate the release of insulin-opposing hormone glucagon, thus acting as an anti-insulin nutrient.

Of course, for the metabolic syndrome management, the higher the AI : PI ratio, the better. But how high should it go?

I found it convenient to introduce an “Anti-insulin Index” (or AII) to make it easier to use, so instead of talking about AI : PI ratio of, for example, 5:1 or 0.5:1, let’s use AII of 5 or 0.5.

Typical ketogenic (anti-insulin) diets operate in the range of AI : PI from 2:1 to 5:1 so the AII for them would be between 2 and 5. Below AII=2, it is difficult to achieve sufficient insulin suppression.

However, experiments showed that as the AII increased, even in the range from 0.5 to 1.0 to 1.5, the lipolysis rate also increases.

Lipolysis Rate Increases With the Increase of the Anti-insulin Index

This fact is illustrated by the chart on the top right. It’s based on the data describing how with the increase of fat content of a diet, fat burning rate also increases. Since the exact macronutrient content and the fat burning rate figures were available in the article, I’ve been able to calculate the AII of all three diet versions. Diets were the same in calories and protein but different in fat and carbs.Needless to mention is the fact that a higher lipolysis rate corresponding to higher AII directly relates to one of the potent approaches to Metabolic Syndrome management, weight loss or, to put it more precisely, fat loss.

Yellow squares: Lipolysis rate (fat milligrams burnt by 1 kg of body weight in 1 minute). Purple squares: Anti-insulin Index

Sources:Wilder RM. The effect of ketonemia on the course of epilepsy. Mayo Clin Bulletin, 1921;2:307-308
Am J Physiol; Endocrinol Metab 280: E391-E398, 2001; 0193-1849/01

The Metabolic Syndrome

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie) — Wed, 07 May 2008 13:03:00 +0000

How Metabolic Syndrome is Defined and What it Means for You.

by Tanya Zilberter, PhD

Since my PhD project concerning the brain control of blood glucose and energy balance, whatever research I’ve been into, it related, in one way or the other, to metabolism . I can boldly state that all processes in the body are served by or work to support metabolism. From this standpoint, you could call any set of bodily functions “metabolic syndrome” but it will hardly describe anything practical. Notwithstanding, the term exists, does make sense, and can help doctors and patients alike.

So what is the metabolic syndrome — a disease, a cluster of symptoms, a combination of health risk factors, or all of these? Whatever it may be, it is recognized as a hot concept of today’s medicine. Learn more about this hot concept.

Do You Have These Signs?

According to the National Cholesterol Education Program, you have the syndrome if you have at least three of the following five symptoms:

1. Waist circumference greater than 40″ (men) or 35″ (women)

2. Blood (serum) levels of triglycerides above 150 mg/dL

3. “Good” cholesterol (high-density lipoproteins, HDL) below 40 mg/dL for men and 50 mg/dL for women.

4. Blood pressure above 130/85 mm Hg.

5. Fasting glucose above 110 mg/dL.

This definition reflects the experience and concerns of doctors that deal with cardiovascular diseases. However, there’s no consensus in medical world about the syndrome definition.

Opinions.

There are two major problems concerning metabolic syndrome:

• How it is defined
• What it means for the doctors and patients alike

Opinions of cardiologists and diabetologists are divided over the description and even the significance of the very idea of metabolic syndrome.

“There is no magical combination of risk factors that further boosts a person’s cardiovascular risk or constitutes a separate disease,” stated Ele Ferrannini, President of European Association for the Study of Diabetes.

The Diagnosis is Useful!

So, what does it all mean to you if you are diagnosed with, or speaking broadly, designated as having the syndrome? No matter how they call it, it’s a useful diagnosis because it alarms your doctor before a full-blown heart disease or diabetes occurs. One other good thing about the Metabolic Syndrome is that it can be reversed by lifestyle changes such as weight loss and exercise.

Says Dr Eckel, professor, University of Colorado Health Science Center: “Because of the increased risk for diabetes and cardiovascular disease, the metabolic syndrome provides an even higher incentive for lifestyle modification.”

Sources:

1. National Cholesterol Education Program, Third Report of the Expert Panel on Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Cholesterol in Adults (Adult Treatment Panel III), National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, May 2001

2. Kahn R, Buse J, Ferrannini E, Stern M. The metabolic syndrome: time for a critical appraisal. Joint statement from the American Diabetes Association and the European Association for the Study of Diabetes. Diabetologia. 2005; DOI: 10.1007/s00125-005-1876-2

Cheeseburger: nutrition analysis

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie) — Mon, 05 May 2008 14:38:00 +0000

Fast foods, cheeseburger, regular, double patty, with condiments and vegetables

Nutrient	Value per 100 grams of edible portion	1.000 sandwich 166.0 g
Proximates
Energy	251.00 kcal	416.660 kcal
Protein	12.80 g	21.248 g
Total lipid (fat)	12.70 g	21.082 g
Energy	1050.00 kj	1743.000 kj
Water	51.20 g	84.992 g
Ash	2.10 g	3.486 g
Carbohydrate, by difference	21.20 g	35.192 g
Minerals
Sodium, Na	633.00 mg	1050.780 mg
Magnesium, Mg	18.00 mg	29.880 mg
Copper, Cu	0.09 mg	0.149 mg
Potassium, K	202.00 mg	335.320 mg
Zinc, Zn	2.10 mg	3.486 mg
Manganese, Mn	0.18 mg	0.299 mg
Iron, Fe	2.06 mg	3.420 mg
Phosphorus, P	146.00 mg	242.360 mg
Calcium, Ca	103.00 mg	170.980 mg
Selenium, Se	14.20 mcg	23.572 mcg
Vitamins
Vitamin C, total ascorbic acid	1.00 mg	1.660 mg
Vitamin A, RAE	43.00 mcg_RAE	71.380 mcg_RAE
Vitamin B-12	1.16 mcg	1.926 mcg
Retinol	37.00 mcg	61.420 mcg
Thiamin	0.21 mg	0.349 mg
Pantothenic acid	0.26 mg	0.432 mg
Vitamin B-6	0.11 mg	0.183 mg
Niacin	4.85 mg	8.051 mg
Folate, total	37.00 mcg	61.420 mcg
Riboflavin	0.17 mg	0.282 mg
Vitamin A, IU	240.00 IU	398.400 IU
Lipids
Fatty acids, total saturated	5.25 g	8.717 g
Fatty acids, total monounsaturated	4.70 g	7.809 g
Fatty acids, total polyunsaturated	1.60 g	2.658 g
Cholesterol	36.00 mg	59.760 mg
Amino Acids
Histidine	0.41 g	0.676 g
Proline	0.88 g	1.466 g
Leucine	1.01 g	1.682 g
Arginine	0.73 g	1.213 g
Glutamic acid	2.48 g	4.109 g
Glycine	0.71 g	1.179 g
Threonine	0.48 g	0.802 g
Tyrosine	0.44 g	0.737 g
Lysine	0.99 g	1.642 g
Aspartic acid	1.02 g	1.690 g
Phenylalanine	0.54 g	0.895 g
Alanine	0.66 g	1.092 g
Valine	0.65 g	1.076 g
Cystine	0.13 g	0.212 g
Isoleucine	0.55 g	0.911 g
Methionine	0.29 g	0.476 g
Tryptophan	0.16 g	0.267 g
Serine	0.49 g	0.808 g

Data provided by Nutrient Data Laboratory. USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 17. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. 2004.

Is deep breathing good for you?

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie) — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 14:32:00 +0000

Simply increasing or decreasing the breathing rate and depth, the body manages to adjust its chemistry to any changes in environmental condition and swings in metabolic rate.

Read more about breathing:
To Breathe or not to Breathe?

It is well known that breathing is the most natural and potent regulator of pH in the blood and brain tissue. Simply increasing or decreasing the breathing rate and depth, the body manages to adjust it1s chemistry to any changes in environmental condition and swings in metabolic rate. The process does not require our attention and is fulfilled automatically.

However, unlike the automatism of the heart contraction, the breathing automatism is not absolute. We can voluntary change the way we breathe. Humans used this possibility since ancient times including breathing exercises in their spiritual and healing practices. Does it mean we can voluntary influence our pH? It does. But the question is: what for? What kind of our internal machinery would be affected?

Consider this. Deep intensive breathing (hyperventilation) leads to lack of carbon dioxide and thus to so called respiratory alkalosis (high pH), whereas moderate breathing suppression (hypo-ventilation) induces slightly excessive level of CO 2 (hyper-capnia) leading to respiratory acidosis (low pH).

Respiratory alkalosis eventually causes a number of problems, including elevation of pH inside the cells. The condition may be benign or potentially catastrophic. When pH reaches the value of 8 the metabolic disorders can produce a fatal result. Why? Below there are most known consequences of respiratory alkalosis, and each of them can be a reason for troubles (click here for footnoted list of symptoms).

1. First of all, fails the key for adequate oxygen delivery to tissues -- appropriate co-ordination of breathing and blood flow

2. It does so partly because haemoglobin, which carries oxygen from lungs to tissues, fails to yield the oxygen there

3. Now, in spite of deep breathing, there is too little oxygen in the arterial blood

4. The blood flow in the vessels slows down

5. The blood vessels width decreases

6. Metabolism in the blood vessel walls impairs

7. Metabolism in the brain tissue impairs

8. Metabolism in the kidneys impairs

9. Turnover of calcium, phosphorus and magnesium impairs

10. Brain and muscle tissues start producing excessive lactate

11. Removal of acid metabolites decreases to counteract the tissue alkalosis

12. Regulatory effects of some hormones fail

13. Breathing airways start resisting to the airflow

14. Bronchi1s width decreases dramatically

15. Asthma symptoms worsen

16. Breathing gets unstable

17. Ventilation is inhibited

18. Arterial hypertension develops

19. Increased heart rate occurs

20. Pathological hyperactivity of the brain neurons develops

21. Evoked electrical potentials of the brain cortex get inhibited

22. Evoked electrical potentials of the spinal cord and subcortical structures show abnormal patterns

23. There is a decrease in favorable alpha wave power in the electroencephalogram

24. There is a threefold excess in the release of adrenaline into the blood

25. Panic attack develops

26. The blood inclines towards clotting

27. Gastro-intestinal tract hyperactivity develops, leading to irritable bowel syndrome Are these pathologies reversible? Luckily yes. Abnormal breathing causes them, breathing normalization cures. But what does breathing normalization mean? Breath deeply -- isn't it the key in all kind of breathing techniques? Then how about hyperventilation?!

It depends. You could see what happens with hyperventilation. Are there cases when it can be helpful? Yes, but mostly in clinical situations, when medical professionals take care of you. For example, in the case of acute brain trauma, edema, stroke, high intracranial pressure, high intraocular pressure. Perfectly adequate is deep breathing during birth process, when it is beneficial for both mother and baby. It is OK to breath deeply while exercising or during the hot weather. It is OK in any case when your body needs to elevate the pH.

Satiety Index

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie) — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 12:26:00 +0000

by Rick Mendosa and John Walsh, P.A., C.D.E.

How full did that meal you just ate make you feel? Did it satisfy your hunger or did you feel like you needed to snack later? Now a new tool for measuring hunger and helping with blood sugar control is available.

Studies by Australian researcher Dr. Susanne Holt at the University of Sydney have developed one of the most exciting diet concepts ever. Called the "Satiety Index", it was developed by having students come in the morning and eat 240-calorie portions of a specific food. Then they rated their feelings of hunger every 15 minutes, and over the next two hours, students could go to a buffet table and eat as much as the liked, all under the observation of researchers.

Using white bread as the baseline of 100, they scored 38 different foods that were given to the students. Foods scoring higher than 100 were judged to be more satisfying than white bread, while those under 100 were less satisfying. Foods that have a higher satiety index keep hunger down longer, and would be better choices for those who want to lose weight.

A fascinating finding of Dr. Holt's study is that some foods like croissants are only half as satisfying as white bread, while potatoes are more than three times as satisfying, but French fries did not score well! As a group, fruits ranked at the top for foods to choose with a satiety index 1.7 times higher than white bread.

The Satiety Index
All are compared to white bread, ranked as "100" Each food is rated by how well it satisfied their hunger. Tip: If you want to lose weight, avoid the LOWER numbers!
Bakery Products		Carbohydrate Rich Foods
Croissant	47%	White bread	100%
Cake	65%	French fries	116%
Doughnuts	68%	White pasta	119%
Cookies	120%	Brown Rice	132%
Crackers	127%	White rice	138%
Snacks and Confectionary		Grain bread	154%
Mars candy bar	70%	Wholemeal bread	157%
Peanuts	84%	Brown pasta	188%
Yoghurt	88%	Potatoes	323%
Crisps	91%	Protein Rich Foods
Ice cream	96%	Lentils	133%
Jellybeans	118%	Cheese	146%
Popcorn	154%	Eggs	150%
Breakfast Cereals		Baked beans	168%
Muesli	100%	Beef	176%
Sustain	112%	Fish	225%
Special K	116%	Fruits
Cornflakes	118%	Bananas	118%
Honeysmacks	132%	Grapes	162%
All Bran	151%	Apples	197%
Porridge/Oatmeal	209%	Oranges	202%

Using this study, the May 1996 issue of the "University of California-Berkeley Wellness Letter," gave suggestions for weight-watchers trying to get the most satisfaction from the fewest calories:

Potatoes gave the highest satisfaction, seven times higher than the least-filling croissants.
Whole grain breads are 50% more filling than white breads.
Cakes, donuts, and cookies are among the least filling.
For fruits, oranges and apples outscore bananas.
Fish is more satisfying, per calorie, than lean beef or chicken.
Popcorn is twice as filling as a candy bar or peanuts.

Source: diabetesnet.com
...............................................................................................
Copyright 1997, 2001 Rick Mendosa and John Walsh. All Rights Reserved.
You may quote part of this page in on-line documents and printed publications, but please notify us so we can add a reference and make sure that you add pointers to the places where people can get the latest version.

Calorie Restriction Can Prolong Life

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie) — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 10:06:00 +0000

by Tanya Zilberter, PhD

The eBook about Galina Shatalova's very low calorie health system is free with a purchase of one of Banta Diet
plans

Very Low Calorie Effect on Health and Life Span

A calorie restriction effect on longevity is a very well documented topic of experimental biology. It is important to know that life span researchers deal mostly with small size animals since their generations change much faster than in larger size animal species. It is also important that only restriction as serious as 30 to 60 percent of "all you can eat" amount can cause significant improvement in health and longevity.

It was first demonstrated in insects, where it yielded up to a 300% increase in life span; then in young small size mammals such as mice and rats, where results were more modest but still impressive. Later the results on adult animals appeared, yet more modest, but still significant.

As to the human outcome, published epidemiological studies have reported evidence of reduced mortality rates in persons who have lost weight, regardless of whether the weight loss was due to decreased calorie intake or increased energy expenditure. These data are consistent with experimental results where exercise increased average longevity of female rats, despite increased food intake.

This consistency is probably the reason for hopes arising from numerous animal data showing benefits of calorie restriction in animals, including improvement in immune status, anti-cancer defense system and decrease in the occurrence of general disease. The hope, if not for increased longevity, is at least for decreased mortality.

Can we use calorie restriction to improve health and to live longer? A daily calorie restriction of 30 to 60 percent seems to be too hard a sacrifice. Perhaps this is why new hope arose when preliminary information about developing an anti-aging drug mimicking effects of semi-starvation leaked into mass media.

People on the very low calorie "Superhuman Diet"

The Guru: Galina Shatalova MD, a surgeon, clinical researcher, health educator, and finally a guru in her own unique Health Schools. The program included diet, exercise, body-mind, and philosophical elements. All these well in excess of everything known before.

Of all her theories, Galina Shatalova is still the most famous in Russia for her very low calorie diet. It is well known there that people who followed her system were able to get rid of many ailments and not only restore good health, but improve it to a much higher level.

It is also known that the system has been under investigation in the Institute of Space and Aviation Biology, Moscow, where Dr. Shatalova was chief of the Astronauts Training Sector. Her health system was eventually adopted by the Institute and was implemented in the astronauts' training practices.

Later Dr. Shatalova founded several so called Health Schools and many of her previously severely ill patients became able to physically perform in extreme environments of high altitudes, deserts, long-distance hiking, marathon, and super marathon.

Table of Content

The Astronauts' diet p.3
Super Marathon p.4
The "Human Species' Nutrition p.6
Alpine Hikers' Success Stories p.8
VLCD and Diseases p.10
What IS Energy? p.12
Longevity and Optimal Health p.14
Is this for a Few Chosen? p.16
The Homo Naturalis p.17
What Body Weight is Natural? p.18
The Rules p.19
How Many Meals a Day? p.20
Cleansing Procedures p.21
The Cooking Technique p.23
Recipes p.25
VLCD Effect on Health and Life Span p.38
Low Calorie and Low Carb p.40
Can Adults Benefit from Calorie Restriction? p.41
Fasting p.43
The Satiety Index p.53
Relaxation Exercises p.55
References p.59
Disclaimer p.60

The eBook about Galina Shatalova's very low calorie
health system is free with a purchase of one of Banta Diet plans

Calories, Liquid Calories, and Fat Gain

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie) — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 09:01:00 +0000

How Liquid Calories May Be Making You Fat… Even Your Favorite Protein Drinks!

By Tom Venuto, NSCA-CPT, CSCS
Burn The Fat

So far, at least 7 scientific studies have provided strong evidence that energy containing beverages (i.e.,"iquid calories") do not properly activate the satiety mechanisms in the body and brain and do not satisfy the appetite as well as food in solid form. Epidemiological research also supports a positive association between calorie-containing beverage consumption and increased body weight or body mass index. New research now suggests that soda may not be the only culprit…

The primary source of liquid calories in the United States Diet is carbohydrate, namely soda. Now running a close second are specialty and dessert coffees. Did you know that a 16 ounce Frappucino can contain 500 calories or even more! That’s one-third of a typical female’s daily calorie intake while on a fat loss program. A recent study at Purdue University published in the International Journal of Obesity set out to learn even more about this bodyfat - liquid calories relationship.

Researchers compared solid and beverage forms of foods composed primarily of carbohydrate, fat or protein in order to document the independent effect of food form in foods with different dominant macronutrient sources.

Based on previous research, some experts have recommended targeting specific beverages as being “worse” than others. High fructose corn syrup and soda has been singled out the most and you’ve probably seen that yourself in the news.

There’s no question that soda has been on top of the “hit list” for some time now, by virtue of the amounts and frequency of consumption alone.

However, this recent study says that from a pure energy balance perspective, we should be cautious about ALL liquid calories, not just soda and not just carbohydrates!

Fruit juice for example, appears to be an obvious improvement over soda, so many people have swapped out their soda for fruit juice. However, when fruit juice is compared to an equal amount of calories from whole fruit, the whole fruit satisfies appetite better (largely due to the bulk and fiber content), and so you tend to eat fewer calories for the day.

[On an interesting side note, soup does not seem to apply; soup has higher satiety value than calorie containing beverages, possibly for mere cognitive reasons.] If you were to meticulously track your calories from beverages and you made sure that your calories remained the same for the day, whether liquid or solid, there would probably be little or no difference in your body composition. But that’s not what usually happens in free-living humans. Most people do not accurately track or report their caloric intake. Our mistake is that we tend to drink calories IN ADDITION TO our usual food intake, not instead of it.

Men are especially guilty of this when they drink alcohol - Men tend to drink AND eat, while women tend to drink INSTEAD OF eating.

This new research found that with all three macronutrients - protein, carbs or fat - daily calorie intake was significantly greater when the beverage form was consumed as compared to the solid.

Yes, it’s true! Even protein drinks did not satisfy the appetite the way that protein foods did!

While you would think that protein drinks are purely a good thing, because protein foods have been proven to reduce appetite and increase satiety, if you turn a solid protein food into a protein drink, it loses it’s appetite suppressive properties in the same way that happens when you turn fruit into fruit juice.

[NOTE: After weight training workouts, liquid nutrition may have benefits that outweigh any downside, especially on muscle-gaining programs]

Why do liquid calories fail to elicit the same response as whole foods? reasons include:

high calorie density
lower satiety value
More calories ingested in short period of time
lower demand for oral processing
shorter gastrointestinal transit times
energy in beverages has greater bioaccessibility and bioavailability
mechanisms may include cognitive, orosensory, digestive, metabolic, endocrine and neural influences (human appetite is a complex thing!!!)

Last but not least, nowhere in our history have our ancestors had access to large amounts of liquid calories. Alcohol may have been around as far back as several thousand years BC, but even that is a blip on the evolutionary calendar of humanity.

As a result, our genetic code has never developed the physiological mechanisms to properly register the caloric content in liquids the way it does when you eat, chew and swallow whole foods.

Bottom line: This study suggests that we shouldn’t just target one type of liquid calories such as soda. If you’re trying to beat body fat, it’s wise to limit all types of liquid calories and eat whole foods as much as possible.

Start by ditching the soda. Then ditch the high calorie dessert coffees. Then cut back on the alcohol. From there, be cautious even about milk, juice and protein drinks.

Drink water or tea instead, or limited amounts of black coffee - without all the high calorie extras.

If you do consume any beverages that contain calories, such as protein shakes, be sure to account for those calories meticulously and be sure you don’t drink them in addition to your usual food intake, but in place of an equal amount of food calories.

Remember, those protein shakes you might be drinking are called “meal replacements” not “free calories!”

For many years I have suggested focusing primarily on whole foods rather than liquids, even protein shakes. Unlike so many other fat reduction programs, Burn The Fat does not require any kind of liquid meal replacement or protein drinks and our company does not exist to sell supplements; we are here to educate you and millions of others about the realities of body fat loss.

We now have even more scientific data that confirms what Burn The Fat has been teaching all along.

I hope you found this helpful. You can learn more about “Burn The Fat” at Burn The Fat

Train hard and expect success,

Tom Venuto
Burn The Fat

Reference:

Effects of food form on appetite and energy intake in lean and obese young adults. International Journal of Obesity. 2007 Nov (11):1688-95. Mourao DM, Bressan J, Campbell WW, Mattes RD. Department of Foods and Nutrition, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907-2059, USA.

Foods to lower the risk of cancer

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie) — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 16:02:00 +0000

Q: Are there certain foods I can eat to lower the risk of breast cancer? -- Robin R., Greenville, SC

A: Maybe. Like everyone, you should eat a variety of fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and other whole foods to get the full complement of micronutrients. Some of these natural, disease-fighting chemicals may be especially protective. At the April meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research, researchers presented data showing that women with high intakes of flavonoids -- antioxidants found in plant foods -- were 45 percent less likely to have breast cancer than women with the lowest intakes.Also, women with high levels of vitamin D reduced their risk by up to 40 percent.

Plus, a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), February 2006, suggested (but didn't conclude) that women who reduced fat intake and increased consumption of fruits, vegetables, and grains had a 9 percent lower risk of breast cancer compared to a control group. All these results dovetail beautifully with the South Beach Diet -- a varied, whole-food lifestyle plan that is low in saturated and trans fats.For vitamin D, which we get from fortified low-fat and fat-free milk as well as sunshine, I recommend getting outdoors (after applying sunscreen) and walking every chance you get. This will also keep you active, which, as part of a healthy lifestyle, may help lower your risk.

What can I do to grow taller

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie) — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 14:31:00 +0000

Q: What can I do to grow taller, I am 14 years old.

A: Here are several things to do, my three sons were growing rather slowly and it helped them all.

1. Get enough protein with foods like fish, chicken, eggs, beef, etc.

2. Get enough green leafy vegetables like salads, parsley, dill, etc.

3. If you can, eat berries like blueberries and cranberries every day.

4. Have your yogurt every day, unsweetened is better for you.

5. Don't eat junk food and any foods containing sugar and white flour: pastas, candies, etc.

6. Get a bar set up high enough to hang gripping at it and not touching the floor with your feet. Do it as often as you can.

7. Swim!!! Learn how to stretch your entire body with every stroke in the water.

8. Learn to jump high as if you reaching for a basketball hoop, jump as often as you can, everywhere.

Tanya Zilberter, PhD

French fries nutrient analysis

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie) — Sat, 05 Apr 2008 15:06:00 +0000

% Daily Value *

Total Fat 7.78g		12%

	Saturated Fat 1.57g	8%

	Polyunsaturated Fat 2.42g

	Monounsaturated Fat 3.43g

Cholesterol 0mg		0%

Sodium 6.58mg		0%

Potassium 595.21mg		17%

Total Carbohydrate 19.71g		7%

	Dietary Fiber 1.75g	7%

Protein 2.27g		5%

Alcohol 0g

Hamburger: nutrition facts

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie) — Sat, 05 Apr 2008 15:00:00 +0000

Nutrient	Value per 100 grams of edible portion	1.000 sandwich 226.0 g
Proximates
Energy	239.00 kcal	540.140 kcal
Protein	15.17 g	34.284 g
Total lipid (fat)	11.75 g	26.555 g
Energy	1000.00 kj	2260.000 kj
Water	53.74 g	121.452 g
Ash	1.52 g	3.435 g
Carbohydrate, by difference	17.82 g	40.273 g
Minerals
Sodium, Na	350.00 mg	791.000 mg
Magnesium, Mg	22.00 mg	49.720 mg
Copper, Cu	0.10 mg	0.219 mg
Potassium, K	252.00 mg	569.520 mg
Zinc, Zn	2.51 mg	5.673 mg
Manganese, Mn	0.11 mg	0.249 mg
Iron, Fe	2.59 mg	5.853 mg
Phosphorus, P	139.00 mg	314.140 mg
Calcium, Ca	45.00 mg	101.700 mg
Selenium, Se	11.30 mcg	25.538 mcg
Vitamins
Vitamin C, total ascorbic acid	0.50 mg	1.130 mg
Vitamin A, RAE	2.00 mcg_RAE	4.520 mcg_RAE
Vitamin B-12	1.80 mcg	4.068 mcg
Retinol	0.00 mcg	0.000 mcg
Thiamin	0.16 mg	0.362 mg
Pantothenic acid	0.24 mg	0.542 mg
Vitamin B-6	0.24 mg	0.542 mg
Niacin	3.35 mg	7.571 mg
Folate, total	34.00 mcg	76.840 mcg
Riboflavin	0.17 mg	0.384 mg
Vitamin A, IU	45.00 IU	101.700 IU
Lipids
Fatty acids, total saturated	4.65 g	10.518 g
Fatty acids, total monounsaturated	4.57 g	10.328 g
Fatty acids, total polyunsaturated	1.24 g	2.796 g
Cholesterol	54.00 mg	122.040 mg
Amino Acids
Histidine	0.45 g	1.017 g
Proline	0.90 g	2.029 g
Leucine	1.17 g	2.649 g
Arginine	0.94 g	2.133 g
Glutamic acid	2.80 g	6.335 g
Glycine	1.02 g	2.305 g
Threonine	0.60 g	1.354 g
Tyrosine	0.45 g	1.012 g
Lysine	1.11 g	2.504 g
Aspartic acid	1.29 g	2.913 g
Phenylalanine	0.60 g	1.354 g
Alanine	0.90 g	2.041 g
Valine	0.73 g	1.648 g
Cystine	0.16 g	0.371 g
Isoleucine	0.64 g	1.442 g
Methionine	0.33 g	0.746 g
Tryptophan	0.18 g	0.414 g
Serine	0.61 g	1.383 g

The health benefits of dark chocolate

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie) — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 16:18:00 +0000

Question: Is there a supplement that one can take that gives you the same benefits as dark
chocolate, without the calories of the chocolate? Also, would you know any
good supplements for high blood pressure?

Answer: One good thing about dark chocolate is that it's effective in very small amounts. As an antioxidant, it's 7 times stronger than the "next best" antioxidant - blueberries!

Another good thing is, remove the added sugar - and you'll have even stronger "power food" for a calorie. The problem is, in sugar-free chocolates, they add sugar alcohol, which do have calories. The alternative is using unsweetened dark cocoa powder to cook with (see some suggestions below) -- it has most calories from fat, not carbs.

The fats in dark chocolate are mostly heart-healthy monounsaturated fats also found in olive oil polyunsaturated) and those found in palm and coconut oils. Though being saturated, they are so called medium-chain fats shown to be beneficial in low carbohydrate diets.

Tanya Zilberter, PhD

The truth about saturated fat

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie) — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 16:10:00 +0000

Who else wants the real truth about saturated fat?

Christian Finn
The Facts About Fintess

For nearly 50 years, it's been widely accepted that diets high in fat raise your cholesterol levels. Elevated cholesterol levels are then supposed to increase your risk your risk of heart disease.

Dr. Ancel Keys first suggested a link between high-fat food and heart disease in the early 1950's. Taking data from six countries, Dr. Keys showed a link between the total intake of fat and death from heart disease.

More recently, scientists have identified saturated fat as the "villain" responsible for the rise in cholesterol levels said to cause heart disease.

According to conventional wisdom, coronary heart disease is the final stage of a three-step process.

In the first step, the amount of saturated fat in your diet determines blood cholesterol levels. According to step two, this rise in cholesterol is then said to lead to a thickening of the arteries. The third and final step is coronary heart disease, caused by the build-up of plaque in the arteries.

This theory, known as the diet-heart idea, or the lipid hypothesis, appears logical. Yet, despite its almost universal acceptance, there's a growing body of evidence suggesting that the link between saturated fat, cholesterol and heart disease isn't as simple as the...

The rest of this report is available in the Members-Only Area. Subscribe to the Members-Only Area and you'll enjoy immediate access to a "secret vault" of expert knowledge and university-tested tips and tricks you can use to shed stubborn fat once and for all... get bigger biceps, broader shoulders, a bigger bench press... or strip away the fat from your belly to reveal a flat and attractive stomach. Click here now to join.

Calorie Controversies

noreply@blogger.com (Debbie) — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 14:24:00 +0000

A calorie is a calorie... right?

<>by Christian Finn
Founder and owner of The Facts About Fitness

One controversial aspect of low-carbohydrate diets is the so-called metabolic advantage — the idea that more weight is lost calorie for calorie compared with diets higher in carbohydrate.

But not everyone agrees that the metabolic advantage even exists.

"A calorie is a calorie, regardless of where it comes from," says Dr. Elizabeth Pivonka, president of the Produce for Better Health Foundation. There are no foods that increase your metabolic rate, or help you burn calories, she says.

Dr. Pivonka probably felt rather confused after seeing the results of a recent Harvard School of Public Health study.

The findings, which generated national attention, show that low-carbohydrate dieters lost more weight than low-fat dieters despite eating 25,000 extra calories over a 12-week period [3].

Is the concept of the metabolic advantage in conflict with the laws of thermodynamics? Is it a myth? If not, how does it happen? Where does the energy go?

Let's take a closer look at the research.

A group of dieters was assigned to one of three different regimens. They included a low-fat group (1800 calories for men; 1500 calories for women), a low-carbohydrate group that ate the same number of calories, and a third group on a similar low-carbohydrate plan that included 300 extra calories a day.

Participants in all three groups lost weight, with the low-fat group losing an average of 17 pounds and the low-carbohydrate group that ate the same number of calories losing 23 pounds.

The biggest surprise was...