Avoid These Top 10 Inflammatory Foods
 
Inflammatory foods can be major players in the development of the suffering in our society.  This is because the process of inflammation is at the root cause of most chronic health issues. Learn what foods you should eliminate and what diet to follow to reduce inflammation, pain, and disease. With so many dietary advice out there, it can feel confusing to find the right one. 
 
The truth is that eating healthy is actually rather simple. Once you understand what foods may damage and what foods may protect your health, you can finally eat a nutrient-dense diet with a worry healing your body with every bite.

 
What Is Inflammation
Inflammation is your body's natural defense mechanism to fight against potential harm, such as infections, injuries, and toxins. It is part of your body's inherent immune response that promotes healing an recovery. Inflammation itself is not bad. Acute inflammation helps you to repair tissue damage when you have an injury and help you recover from colds, illness, or exposure to allergens.
The problem is chronic inflammation, which is the result of an excessive stress load on your body, including physical, emotional, and chemical stress. Being exposed to constant stressors, your immune system becomes overwhelmed and increases the inflammation response.
This can lead to more white blood cells, cell changes, and eventually tissue and organ damage. Chronic inflammation plays a role in a variety of chronic pain symptoms and health issues, including metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer's disease, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, and autoimmune conditions.

 
The Role of Diet & Inflammation
Diet plays a major role when it comes to inflammation. An inflammatory diet that is low in nutrients is one of the main causes of modern-day inflammation. Cytokines are proteins secreted by your immune system to regulate your immune response. Certain foods can trigger your immune system and lead to the overproduction of pro-inflammatory cytokines and the underproduction of anti-inflammatory cytokines
The good news is that your diet also plays a role in preventing and reducing inflammation. While, inflammatory foods, such as sugar, refined oils, and gluten may increase the risk of inflammation, eating an anti-inflammatory diet may help you to overcome chronic inflammation and improve your health.

 
Major Nutritional Factors for Inflammatory Foods
Several major factors that play a role in chronic inflammation.   When we consume food it will have an impact on our physiology and these 3 factors are key considerations when it comes to the foods we choose:

1. Blood Sugar Impact
2. Damaged Fats
3. Chemical Toxins

 

Blood Sugar Impact
An inflammatory diet with too much sugar may lead to blood sugar imbalances in your body. This may cause inflammation and the overproduction of inflammatory cytokines increasing your risk of insulin resistance and elevated blood sugar levels leading to further inflammation, pain, and disease.
 
Damaged Fats in Foods
Your body needs fats for fuel, but not all fats are created equal. Polyunsaturated fats, such as corn, soybean, safflower, and other vegetable oils are highly unstable and prone to oxidation when exposed to heat, light, or air. During the cooking processed they also become damaged or oxidized making them even more inflammatory and destructive to your health. These oils are particularly bad for the endothelial lining of your blood vessels and for your skin and greatly contribute to the formation of acne, aged spots and wrinkles. 
 
Chemical Toxins in Foods
Environmental toxins are everywhere, in our air, food, water, and products. Long-term exposure to environmental toxins may overwhelm your immune system and increase chronic inflammation. An inflammatory diet with lots of processed, refined, and non-organic foods are high in toxins. Choosing and anti-inflammatory, organic, and healing diet, however, may lower inflammation.

 
Top 10 Inflammatory Food List

1. Gluten
2. Sugar
3. Refined Carbs
4. Conventionally Raised Meat & Dairy
5. Farm-Raised Fish & Seafood
6. Processed Conventional Meat
7. Trans Fats (Partially Hydrogenated Oils)
8. Food Additives & Preservatives
9. Highly Processed Vegetable & Seed Oils
10. Artificial Sweeteners

 

Top 10 Inflammatory Food List Details

1. Gluten
   Gluten is a protein found in a variety of grains, including wheat, rye, and barley. It's found in bread, pizza, pasta, cereal, and other food. Gluten is particularly dangerous for and must be completely eliminated by individuals with Celiac disease or gluten allergy. What is more common, however, is gluten sensitivity that may cause a low-level chronic inflammation, a variety of symptoms, and leaky gut. Eliminating gluten may lower inflammation levels and improve your health.
   
   Alternatives: Gluten-free Alternatives
   Choose gluten-free flours, including almond, coconut, quinoa, and amaranth flour. Use lettuce for burgers and sandwiches, collard green for wraps, cauliflower for pizza crust, toasted sweet potato for avocado toasts, portabella mushrooms instead of buns, zucchini or cucumber noodles instead of pasta, and veggie sticks instead of crackers.
   
   
2. Sugar
   Probably not surprising to see sugar on this list. Sugar is one of the most inflammatory foods, yet, refined sugar is lurking everywhere from candy, snack bars, baked goods, pastries, sodas, sugary drinks, sweetened coffee and tea, pasta sauces, condiments, and more. When you eat too much sugar, your body simply cannot process it quick enough. As a result, it releases pro-inflammatory messengers called cytokines. It may damage your immune system and lead to blood sugar issues.
   
   Alternatives: Low-GI Whole Fruits, Vegetables, and Natural Sweeteners
   If you are looking for something sweet, low-glycemic index fruits, such as berries and green apples, and sweet vegetables, such as beets and carrots provide plenty of sweetness with lots of nutrient and fiber to help to slow the break down of sugar. Natural sweeteners, such as monk fruit and stevia may also sweeten your teas and baked good without disrupting your blood sugar balance and resulting in inflammation.
   
   
3. Refined Carbs
   Refined carbs and refined flour are found in most baked goods and other foods in your grocery stores, including white bread, bagels, crackers, pasta, flour tortillas, and breakfast cereal. Besides possible being full of gluten, they are inflammatory and low in nutrients. Refined wheat flours are high in sugar. They are stripped of nutrients and slow-digesting fiber. Hence, your body breaks them down way too quickly leading blood sugar spikes, pro-inflammatory response, inflammation, and health issues.
   
   Alternatives: Unrefined Flours and Creative Options
   Look for gluten-free and unrefined flours. Get creative by eating kale chips or sweet potato chips cooked in coconut oil instead of potato chips. Use veggies sticks instead of wheat crackers, collard greens and lettuce instead of bread and tortilla, coconut wraps instead of flour wraps, cauliflower rice instead of white rice, baked sweet potato fries instead of French fries, and zucchini noodles instead of pasta. 
   
   
4. Conventional Raised Meat & Dairy
   I'm a big fan of meat and I think it is extremely important for your health. BUT, the kind of meat you eat matters. Any meat that is not organic and animals are not treated by the highest standards is full of hormones and not the best option. Hormones, antibiotics, and GMOs coming from grain-fed animals are highly inflammatory. Historically, dairy has been part of a healthy human diet. Unfortunately, in recent decades, man-made refineries manipulated the dairy-creation process turning these once-superfoods into inflammatory foods. Conventional dairy is not organic and not obtained from pasture-raised animals. It's full of growth hormones, antibiotics, GMOs, and toxic pesticides making them highly inflammatory and disruptive to your gut microbiome.
   
   Alternatives: Grass-fed, Raw Dairy, and Non-Dairy Options
   It is important that you make sure that the meat you eat comes from animals that were raised humanely and fed a diet that is meant for them to keep them healthy and are not treated with hormones. Make sure to eat pasture-raised poultry, grass-fed beef, pork, and lamb, and wild-caught fish. Grass-fed raw dairy, including raw milk, grass-fed butter and ghee, and fermented yogurt or kefir are generally healthy for most. People with mild to serious inflammatory conditions and immune dysregulation may have a difficult time tolerating even raw dairy. Try taking out dairy for 90 days, then add it back to see how you tolerate raw and fermented dairy in small amounts. Non-dairy alternatives include coconut milk, coconut yogurt, coconut kefir, and macadamia nut milk.
   
   
5. Farm-Raised Fish & Seafood
   Fish and seafood are healthy sources of anti-inflammatory Omega 3 fatty acids and protein. However, as always, it's important that you know your source and chooses seafood that supports your health. In most cases, farm-raised fish are raised under crowded conditions, often given antibiotics, and fed a less than optimal diet. Farm-raised fish and seafood generally have more inflammatory Omega 6 fatty acids, higher chemical exposure, and less protein than wild-caught counterparts.
   
   Alternatives: Wild-caught Fish
   If you want to eat fish, go for wild-caught fish. Choose fish that is low in mercury, such as salmon, cod, tilapia, chunk light tuna, mullet, herring, anchovies, and sardines.
   
   
6. Processed Conventional Meat
   I believe eating meat is extremely important for your health. However, it's crucial that you eat healthy meat. Processed meat, such as deli meat and cured meat are not organic, highly processed, full of hormones, additives, and other unhealthy ingredients. No wonder, they are highly inflammatory.
   
   Alternatives: Pasture-Raised and Wild-Caught Options
   Try to choose pasture-raised poultry, grass-fed beef, pork, and lamb, and wild-caught fish. If you have trouble finding these at your local grocery store or health food store than you can order virtually any type of meat and various cuts through US Wellness Meats and they will deliver right to your door.
   
   
7. Trans Fats
   We all know the news: trans fats are bad. There are two types of trans fats you may encounter in foods: naturally-occurring and artificial trans fats. Naturally occurring trans fats are made in the gut of some animals and they may make in small quantities to milk and meat products. The real problem though is with artificial trans fats that are produced in an industrial process by adding hydrogen to liquid vegetable oils to solidify them. Partially hydrogenated oils are the primary dietary source of trans fatty acids in processed foods. Even the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) doesn't recognize them as safe. They are highly inflammatory and may raise your risk of high cholesterol, diabetes, heart disease, and strokes.
   
   Alternatives: Grass-Fed Butter and Healthy Oils
   Try grass-fed butter or ghee, coconut oil, or avocado oil.
   
   
8. Food Additives & Preservatives
   If you carefully look at the ingredients of some processed foods at the grocery store or even in your own pantry, you will spot several food additives and preservatives. These ingredients are used to enhance flavor, texture, or color, or to extend shelf life. They have no nutritional value and are often inflammatory and harmful to your health. Monosodium glutamate is used to enhance the flavor of some savory dishes at fast food restaurants. It has been associated with metabolic syndrome, weight gain, and other health complaints. Artificial coloring, such as Blue 1, Red 40, Yellow 5 and 6 have been associated with allergic reactions, inflammation, and some cancers. Sodium nitrate found in processed meats may lead to inflammation and cancer. Other food additives and preservatives you should avoid include high fructose corn syrup, guar gum, sodium benzoate, trans fats, and any artificial flavoring.
   
   Alternative: Organic Whole Foods
   Choose organic whole foods and organic natural products without additives and preservatives.
   
   
9. Highly Processed Vegetable & Seed Oils
   When it comes to fat consumption, it is important that you understand the importance of a healthy Omega 3 to Omega 6 ratio to control inflammation. A diet too high in Omega 6 fatty acids is highly inflammatory and may contribute to the development of pain and disease. Omega 3, on the other hand, is anti-inflammatory. While it is impossible to avoid omega 6 fatty acids, and some nutrient-dense foods, such as almonds, and other nuts have some in them, it's important to make sure that omega 3s dominate your ratio. Vegetable oils, such as corn oil, canola oil, soybean oil, safflower oil, cottonseed oil, and peanut oil are high in omega 6 fatty acids. They are also damaged during processing and are highly inflammatory.
   
   Alternative: Organic Virgin Coconut Oil
   As a healthy source of fat and oil, try organic virgin coconut oil. It's rich in medium chain triglycerides (MCTs) that may be converted into ketones to further benefit your health.
   
   
10. Artificial Sweeteners
    You already know that refined sugar is not good for you. However, you need to watch out for artificial sweeteners and flavor enhancers as well.  Although not technically foods these ingredients can be used to create inflammatory foods. Aspartame, acesulfame potassium, monosodium glutamate, sucralose, and other artificial sweeteners may add a sweet flavor to your food, but they are not healthy. They are highly inflammatory. They have a neurotoxic effect on your brain and may lead to mood disorders and brain-related cancer. 
    
    Alternative: Natural Sweeteners
    Don't ban sweetness from your life. Monk fruit and stevia are natural, low-calorie sweet alternatives that don't raise your blood sugar. You may add them to your tea, coffee, and healthy baked goods without adverse health effects.

 

What To Do? - Healing Diet
Follow a healing diet to reduce inflammation, lower risk of developing chronic disease and improving your overall health. Eating a healing diet can reduce inflammation in your body, stabilize your blood sugar, reduce toxic load, fuel your body with foundational nutrients, and support your healthy blood pH.

Try these steps:

1. Eliminate sugar and grains such as:
   - white pasta
   - bread
   - rice
   - pizza
   - crackers
   - cereals
   - canned goods
   - ketchup
   - fruit drinks
   - deli meat
   - candy
    They are full of sugar and carbs and highly inflammatory.
   
   You need vitamins, minerals, enzymes and antioxidants from:
   - greens
   - vegetables
   - herbs
   - sprouts
   - fruits
   
   
2. Get rid of bad fats. Remove the following:
   - hydrogenated soybean oil
   - hydrogenated corn oil
   - hydrogenated palm oils
   - vegetable oil
   - canola oil
   - safflower oil
   - peanut oil
   
   Instead, focus on these healthy fats
   - coconut oil
   - avocado oil
   - pasture-raised poultry
   - ghee
   - nuts & seeds
   
   
3. Change the meat you eat.
   Eliminate all processed and conventional meat. Go all organic, grass-fed/finished beef, pasture-raised poultry, wild-caught fish, and pasture-raised eggs.

 

Why Magnesium Rich Foods Are Essential for Your Health

Magnesium rich foods should be used in nearly every meal we consume.  Our current society is plagued with magnesium deficiency affecting an estimated 80% of individuals in the United States today.  The average standard diet consists of 175 mg/day of magnesium down from an average 500 mg/day representative of diets in the 1900's. Most people are just not consuming enough magnesium rich foods.

Dr. Norman Shealy, M.D., Ph.D. is an American neurosurgeon and a pioneer in pain medicine.  He says, "Every known illness is associated with a magnesium deficiency," and that, "magnesium is the most critical mineral required for electrical stability of every cell in the body.  A magnesium deficiency may be responsible for more diseases than any other nutrient deficiency."

The top 12 best food magnesium rich foods outlined below will allow you to replenish your magnesium levels and support your overall vitality and well-being.


Essential Role of Magnesium to Health
Magnesium plays a key role in intra-cellular health. It manages the electrical gradient within cells so that the nervous system is not easily excited. More than 300 enzymes alone require magnesium to perform their biological roles in tissue and organs.

The body relies on optimal magnesium absorption for:

• Memory function
  
• Regulating mood and stress
  
• Muscle relaxation and sleep
  
• Blood sugar control
  
• Healthy bone density
  
• Cardiovascular support
  
• Detoxification pathways in the liver
  
• Normal gut motility
  

The RDA for magnesium ranges accordingly:

• Children up to 13 years of age: 80-240 mg/day
  
• Females over 14 years of age: 310-360 mg/day
  
• Pregnant and nursing women: 310-400 mg/day
  
• Males over 14 years of age: 400-420 mg/day
  

Most natural health experts agree that these levels are considerably lower than they should be and yet close to 80% of our population is not even getting this level.


Calcium to Magnesium Ratio
Unlike our ancestors whose balance of calcium to magnesium levels were equal, our lifestyle habits today lead to an imbalance in this key electrical gradient. The result is a 10:1 calcium to magnesium ratio. This ratio disrupts the healthy balance of electrolytes within cells making nerves more susceptible to stress and pain perception.
Declining magnesium levels in Western societies is dictated by a wide range of variables. Most common are chronic stress and poor dietary habits such as high sugar intake, over consumption of processed foods and too little intake of plant-based nutrients found in the magnesium rich foods.


Magnesium Deficiency Symptoms
Deficiency can lead to a variety of health disturbances and diseases. Do you have any of the following top symptoms of magnesium deficiency?

• Poor cognitive thought
  
• Headaches and chronic migraines
  
• Constipation and related disorders like IBS (irritable bowel syndrome)
  
• Fatigue (physical, mental and emotional)
  
• Insomnia
  
• Muscle spasms
  
• Cramping
  
• Chronic Pain
  
• Heart arrhythmias
  
• Numbness and tingling
  
• Fibromyalgia
  
• Mood disorders such as ADHD, anxiety and depression
  

A staggering list of widespread diseases is associated with magnesium deficiency. Some of these include Alzheimer's disease, type-2 diabetes, premenstrual syndrome, hypertension, cancer, multiple sclerosis, and chronic immune disorders. Consuming magnesium rich foods can make a world of difference in these conditions.


Top Magnesium Rich Foods
Consuming magnesium rich foods in your daily diet can help you reduce complications associated with metabolic and inflammatory issues.  The biggest things that drain magnesium levels include blood sugar imbalances and chronic stress.
If you notice you are under an increased amount of stress or have enjoyed a high carbohydrate meal or dessert, then look to consume more of these magnesium rich foods and consider adding in a good magnesium supplement which I discuss at the bottom of this article.  Try to make at least 10 of these 12 magnesium rich foods staple parts of your daily nutrition plan.

1. Swiss Chard
   
2. Spinach
   
3. Grass-Fed Dairy
   
4. Avocados
   
5. Pumpkin Seeds
   
6. Sea Vegetables
   
7. Sea Salts
   
8. Nuts
   
9. Dark Chocolate
   
10. Wild-Caught Fish
    
11. Sprouts
    
12. Coffee
    

Below are details on all of these 12 superfoods.

1. Swiss Chard
   Dark leafy greens and are some of the richest sources of dietary magnesium. Green vegetables like Swiss chard offer nutrients like magnesium that buffer the pH of the body from the effects of acidic foods. Increasing dietary magnesium levels is critical to this homeostatic process because it prevents the minerals in bones from being depleted to perform this buffering effect.
   Women are uniquely susceptible to the effects of magnesium deficiency because of changes in estrogen levels. When estrogen concentrations are elevated, magnesium intake is required in higher amounts to improve the balance of calcium to magnesium in the blood. Increasing dietary magnesium in these women can lower the risk of cardiovascular events like thrombosis.
   
   
2. Spinach
   Spinach is a fiber-rich food loaded with nutrients like folate, potassium and vitamin B6 and is one of the best green vegetable sources for magnesium. Adding spinach to your diet is also easily accomplished. Use it in salads, add it to smoothies, prepare it in fresh juices and incorporate in almost any dish like omelets. The anti-inflammatory benefits of spinach will encourage muscle relaxation and reduce symptoms of constipation. Eating spinach regularly offers an effective and natural way to reduce the frequency of migraine headaches and limit their severity when they do occur.
   
   
3. Grass-Fed Dairy
   The acidity from conventional dairy products causes magnesium and other minerals to leach from bones, joints and muscle tissue. Raw grass-fed dairy, however, supplements the body’s nutritional need for magnesium. These sources also provide anti-inflammatory and sugar stabilizing nutrients like omega-3 fats and vitamin D.
   If you experience lactose sensitivity or intolerance from consuming pasteurized grain-fed dairy milks and cheeses, switching to raw dairy may be a natural solution to overcoming this problem. Raw milks and cheeses contain higher concentrations of the enzymes need to digest lactose and absorb magnesium and other nutrients. If a lactose allergies persists, grass-fed ghee or clarified butter is also rich in magnesium and contains only traces of lactose.
   
   
4. Avocados
   Avocados are a rich source of magnesium, B-complex vitamins, vitamins A, C, E, K and healthy fatty acids. Consuming avocados regularly can help slow the progression of neurological decline and stimulate serotonin and dopamine pathways in the brain.
   Half an avocado provides 20 mg of magnesium and is an excellent way to promote vascular strength and regulate insulin levels. Consume half an avocado in your post-workout smoothie to combat fatigue and elevate your mood. Magnesium inhibits fat absorption helping weight management and was shown to reduce the risk of coronary heart disease in a follow-up study of almost 40,000 men.
   
   
5. Pumpkin Seeds
   Total health is dependent on the optimal function of the gastrointestinal tract. Cleansing the intestines is essential for eliminating toxins and impurities that can lead to systemic complications. The magnesium in pumpkin seeds improves gut motility by decreasing the amount of time it takes for waste to leave the colon. Magnesium is a natural muscle relaxant that stimulates stool movement in the bowels. Relieve symptoms of constipation and replenish your magnesium levels under times of high stress by snacking on pumpkin or chia seeds which are excellent magnesium rich foods. Consider adding sprouted pumpkin seeds to salads, omelets and combine into dessert recipes.
   
   
6. Sea Vegetables
   Known for the deep chlorophyll rich color, sea vegetables are also one of the top magnesium rich foods. The combination of chlorophyll and magnesium prevent the toxic accumulation of carcinogens in the nervous system while boosting nerve and brain function. Sea vegetables up-regulate antioxidant pathways to combat oxidative stress and prevent the depletion of magnesium levels.
   Try incorporating seaweeds like dulse, nori and kelp into your diet to boost your magnesium concentration and support immune defenses.  Kelp is one of the top magnesium rich foods with 121 mg of magnesium in 100 grams of kelp.  Sprinkle Bragg’s Organic Sea Kelp Delight Seasoning or Herbamare to enrich the flavor and nutrient profile of any dish.  You can also enjoy Sea Snax which are a very tasty way to enjoy sea vegetables.
   
   
7. Sea Salts
   Compared to table salt which is toxic and can inhibit the proper absorption of magnesium into the body, sea or pink salts provide vital trace minerals for health. Examples are Himalayan pink salt and Redmond’s Real Salt mined from volcanic sea deposits. The trace minerals they contain are reflected in their natural pink hues.
   The purity of clean sea salts makes them a great dietary source of magnesium for improving electrolyte balance. They also contains nutrients like iodine, manganese, potassium and zinc. Consider adding a pinch of sea or pink salt into your water following an intense workout or extended period of sweating to stabilize your electrolyte imbalance and prevent magnesium deficiency. Doing so will reduce symptoms of dehydration and prevent muscle spasms and fatigue.
   
   
8. Nuts
   Almonds, brazil nuts, pecans, and macadamia nuts contain magnesium to help preserve bone density, support cardiovascular health and regulate blood sugar levels. The magnesium in nuts increases testosterone levels aiding in strength, muscle recovery and protein synthesis for metabolism. Nuts are an excellent snack for any athlete to offset the magnesium deficits that occur from increased sweat and urination.
   Consuming almonds in one study was associated with a reduction in blood sugar levels following a meal by 40 to 50%. Nut consumption has been found to reduce the occurrence of metabolic syndrome in 7% of patients following only one serving of nuts weekly. Brazil nuts are the highest source of magnesium and the trace mineral selenium.
   
   
9. Dark Chocolate
   You might be surprised to know that unsweetened dark cocoa powder is one of the highest sources of magnesium rich foods. A single ounce of dark chocolate provides 95 mg or about 24% of the recommended daily value of magnesium. Just be sure to consume non-processed chocolate that is greater than 70% cacao for its full health benefits. The highest concentrations are in the raw cacao form but minimally processed dark chocolate is also good.
   A greater need for magnesium can manifest as cravings for chocolate during a woman’s menstrual cycle. Seen again, greater compulsion to eat chocolate occurs when individuals are overwhelmed by emotional stress and seek a feel good trigger. The magnesium in chocolate provides the stimulus the brain was lacking to improve a person’s mood by balancing hormone levels and brain function.
   
   
10. Wild-Caught Fish
    Wild-caught fish like wild Alaskan salmon, sardines, and halibut offer about 80mg of magnesium in a 2.5 ounce serving which makes them one of the best magnesium rich foods. This food source has a deep nutrient profile because it is also a fantastic source of healthy fats, vitamin D and trace minerals.
    Consuming wild-caught fish low in toxicity improves neurological and cardiovascular function as well as protects against bone degeneration. With the prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease expected to reach 104 million by the year 2050, it is critical not to overlook the superfood powers of wild-caught, omega 3 rich fish. Weekly consumption can reduce the occurrence of cognitive decline and alleviate symptoms of dementia.
    
    
11. Sprouts
    Sprouts offer anti-carcinogenic properties and are packed with magnesium amongst a wide array of vitamins like A, B, C and micronutrients. Magnesium in sprouts provides health benefits for the skin, hair and slows the aging process.
    Choosing organic broccoli, cauliflower and kale sprouts is the best way to ensure you are receiving the greatest concentration of nutrients. Researchers have found that eating 5 servings of sprouts weekly provides the maximum impact to support a healthy gut, reduce inflammation, and detoxify the body of pollutants. Toss sprouts over salads, in a stir-fry, or add to wraps and slaws.
    
    
12. Coffee
    Given our fast-paced lifestyles, it is no surprise that coffee provides the number one source of antioxidants for Americans today. Drinking coffee in excess can deplete the body of its magnesium stores, but when consumed in normal concentrations, coffee is one of the great magnesium rich foods. Limit your coffee intake to about 1–2 cups as long as you feel good with that.  About 20% of the population are poor caffeine metabolizers; these individuals will have anxiety and irritability when consuming coffee and should avoid it.
    The magnesium in coffee is associated with improved metabolic rate and a lower risk of insulin resistance. Researchers have found that coffee intake reduces the risk for type-2 diabetes in both men and women. Along with the health benefiting polyphenols also active in coffee, magnesium intake has been directly shown to lower fasting insulin levels. Drink organic coffee to avoid chemical residue from fertilizers and pesticides.

Source - click here.

Overeating and what happens to your body. Post-Binge Biology (and 8 Things To Do Afterward)

Feasts happen on a regular basis. Candy is given and received as gifts. And there are parties immeasurable, at work, with family, with friends, where calorie-dense, rewarding food is handed out, like, well, candy. The holiday season is a practice in overeating, and it can be very hard to avoid. You may not want to even avoid it; there’s something to be said for letting loose now and again on special occasions, especially when holiday cheer is in the air.

But what happens to your body when you overeat? And what can you do about it?
The type of overeating most people do across the holidays is high-sugar, high-fat, and relatively low protein. These are your cakes and cookies. Your brownies and fudge. Your pie for breakfast. This is the worst kind of overfeeding you can do. Research shows that just six days of high-sugar, high-fat, low-protein overfeeding rapidly increases fat deposition in the liver and muscle. Seven days of overfeeding reduces whole body insulin sensitivity, inhibits glucose clearance, and impairs endothelial function.

If you keep doing it, say, over the course of a month, bad things pile up. You get incredibly insulin resistant. Your liver fat increases. Your body weight and overall body fat increase. Your C-reactive protein increases, an indication of inflammation. A class of antioxidants called plasmalogens also increase, which means your body is fighting oxidative stress.

One problem with the studies is that you have to distinguish between quality and quantity; overfeeding with different foods elicits different effects. For instance, in the study that looked at overfeeding’s effect on lipid metabolism, the subjects overate by eating more cookies, potato chips, and cheesecake and drinking an oil-based liquid supplement. Overeating a bunch of that junk food is different than overeating steak.
In fact, research shows that overfeeding protein has little to no impact on fat or weight gain compared to carbohydrate or fat overfeeding.

Also consider individual variability. Some people are “obesity prone.” Others are “obesity resistant.” In one study, obesity prone and obesity resistant subjects had different responses to three days of overfeeding. The obesity prone people saw their fat oxidation rates drop during sleep; they burned less fat. The obesity resistant subjects saw their fat oxidation rates unchanged during sleep; they continued burning fat like normal.

So, when we talk about the effects of overeating, we have to keep in mind that the effects will differ between individuals and vary if you’re eating a pound of roast lamb versus eating half a pie. But the general point still stands: Overeating can make you gain weight, gain liver weight, induce oxidative stress, cause insulin resistance, increase inflammation, and make you sicker, fatter, and more unwell the longer it goes on.

Here are 8 tips for scaling back and minimizing damage.

1. Favor Protein
2. Eat Vinegar
3. Exercise
4. Accept It As a Positive Experience and Move On
5. Have Some Black Tea
6. Go For a Walk
7. Get Out Into the Cold
8. Don’t Throw In the Towel and Continue Overeating For the Foreseeable Future or “Until the New Year”

Details to these 8 tips:

1. Overfeeding protein has more neutral metabolic and body composition effects than overfeeding fat and carbs. Some effects are even positive, like boosts to energy expenditure during the day and during sleep. Load up on the turkey, the lamb, the beef rib roast and keep portions of mashed potatoes, pumpkin pie, stuffing, candied chestnuts, and cookies more reasonable. One advantage of overeating protein is that eating less of the other stuff tends to happen inadvertently.
   
   
2. Vinegar, whether it’s organic apple cider vinegar with the mother still swimming in it or standard white vinegar from a two gallon jug, improves glucose tolerance and keeps postprandial hyperglycemia and insulin tamped down. The trick is eating the vinegar (maybe a side salad before the big meal dressed with a vinegar-y dressing) 20-30 minutes before you overindulge.
   
   
3. It’s simply physiological common sense. You consume a ton of calories, calories in excess of what your mitochondria can process and convert to energy. What makes more physiological sense - just sitting there, letting that extra energy circulate and eventually accumulate on your body, or creating an energy deficit so that the extra energy is utilized? It’s about throwing a ton of energy toward your mitochondria and giving them a job to do - or letting them languish in disuse. It’s not about “weight gain,” necessarily. It’s about energy excess and the oxidative stress and inflammation that results. It’s about not being wasteful. If you introduce a ton of energy and then do nothing, you are wasting that potential.
   
   
4. That overeating induces oxidative stress enough to trigger the release of antioxidant compounds may mean the occasional acute bout of overeating can act as a hormetic stressor that makes you stronger in the long run—provided it stays acute and hormetic. It could actually be good to overeat once in awhile. Yeah, go with that.
   
   
5. It turns out another benefit of the stuff is that it actually speeds up digestion after eating. It beats alcohol, espresso, and everything else that people tell you helps digestion.
   
   
6. Right after you overeat, a 20-30 minute walk will reduce blood glucose and speed up gastric emptying - helping you process the meal much faster and reducing the feeling of fullness. Longer walks are even better and can also reduce the postprandial insulin spike. It has to be immediately after though; waiting even 30 minutes will suppress the effects.
   
   
7. It’s the perfect season for cold exposure (in most places). Even mild cold exposure - just 18°C or 64.4°C for 2.5 hours - is enough to increase energy expenditure without increasing hunger or subsequent food intake. That’s downright comfortable for a lot of people. If you went out into sub 50°F weather, I bet you could get the same effects even faster.
   
   
8. A consistent finding in the literature is that people gain weight during the holidays and never quite lose it. They don’t do this because they had an extra slice of pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving or five cookies on Christmas morning. They gain and retain the weight because they consistently overindulge for the entire duration of the holidays. They figure “Oh, I ate badly yesterday, which means this week is shot. I’ll just do better next Monday,” and then keep that mindset going for months. Well, one way to break that cycle is to stop that “this week/month is shot” mindset. No, just because you ate badly yesterday doesn’t mean you should eat badly today and tomorrow. That will compound your problems and dig an even deeper hole. Stop overeating immediately. Overeating happens. It’s okay, or even beneficial if used judiciously. There’s nothing like filling your belly with your grandma’s signature dish, or really letting loose with your favorite people in the world. Humans are feasters by nature. We like to make merry and eat big to ring in the good times. Just make sure you contrast it with leaner days. (Intermittent fasting around the holidays is great for this.) A feast no longer qualifies as a feast if you do it consistently. A party’s not a party if you party every day. Contrast is the stuff of life - heed that rule and all will be well.

Source - click here.

Delicious Sugar Free Cookies

The holiday season is time for family, celebration, and tasty food. While this can be a grand time to unwind and relax, many people tend to overindulge in many of the wrong foods, sending them several steps back in their health.

Many people will choose to forgo the healthy eating for a few days and deal with the consequences later. But as many people would love to substitute traditional recipes for very similar ones that are more conducive to health. Look no further.

Here you go – 4 of my favorite recipies:

Keto Vanilla Almond Christmas Cookies

• Prep 25 mins
• Cook 10 mins
• Total 35 mins
• Yield 24 cookies

Ingredients:

• 3 cups blanched almond flour
• 1/2 cup coconut flour
• 10 tbsp. melted grass-fed butter/ghee/coconut oil
• 2 tbsp. vanilla extract
• 1 tsp. almond extract
• 1 pastured egg
• 1/2 cup Honest Keto Maple syrup
• 15 drops vanilla cream stevia
• 1 tsp. baking soda

Instructions:

• Step #1:  Mix flours and baking soda together
• Step #2:  Whisk egg, melted butter/oil, vanilla extract, almond extract, maple syrup and stevia together
• Step #3:  Pour wet ingredients into bowl with dry ingredients. Mix everything together
• Step #4:  Let cookie dough sit on counter for 10 minutes
• Step #5:  Form into balls and slightly flatten on baking sheet lined with parchment paper
• Step #6:  Bake at 350 for 10-15 minutes

Snickerdoodles
Snickerdoodles are a classic holiday cookie. They are somewhat similar to the Vanilla Almond cookies, but with a winter spice added. The fiber and healthy fats make this a blood sugar friendly dessert recipe with the added anti-oxidant and blood sugar stabilizing benefits of cinnamon!
If you are looking to make this holiday more of a ketogenic style, these are another great option.

• Prep 10 mins
• Cook 10 mins
• Total 20 mins
• Yield 12 cookies

Ingredients:

• 4 pasture-raised eggs
• 2/3 cup of melted pasture-raised butter (or coconut oil, but butter is more flavorful)
• ½ cup of Honest Keto Maple syrup
• 1 tbsp of vanilla extract
• 20 drops of vanilla cream stevia extract
• 1 tsp of pink salt or celtic sea salt
• 2/3 cup of coconut flour
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp of aluminum-free baking powder
• 1 tbsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp nutmeg

Instructions:

• Step #1:  Whisk together the eggs, melted butter, vanilla, stevia and keto maple syrup
• Step #2:  Add in the coconut flour, baking soda, salt, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg
• Step #3:  Form the mixture into balls and flatten slightly
• Step #4:  Bake these at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes

 
Snowballs
This one is both nutrient-packed and festive. Combining a few simple ingredients and forming into shape makes for a simple, raw nutrition dessert that resembles a snowball! Please forgo the snowball fight with these, however.
These use a combination of ground chia seeds, coconut flour, raw cacao powder, and natural sweeteners. Combined, these ingredients provide a powerful combination of omega 3 fats, plenty of fiber, and antioxidants.

• Prep 15 mins
• Inactive 1 hour
• Total 1 hour, 15 mins
• Yield 10 snowballs

Ingredients:

• 4 tbsp. chia seeds (ground in coffee bean grinder)
• 2 tbsp. coconut flour
• 1/4 cup raw cacao powder
• 1 tbsp. Honest Keto Maple syrup
• 1/3-1/2 cup coconut oil
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup raw coconut shreds
• 1/2 tsp. pink salt

Optional Ingredients:

• Replace the keto maple syrup with 5-10 drops of liquid stevia
• 5 drops for a more mild sweetness and 10 drops for a stronger sweetness.

Instructions:

• Step #1:  Assemble all the ingredients
• Step #2:  Mix ground chia, raw cacao and coconut flour together
• Step #3:  Add maple syrup, coconut oil, vanilla and salt
• Step #4:  Form into balls and roll in coconut shreds
• Step #5:  Freeze or place in the fridge for an hour
• Step #6:  Enjoy!  Keep extra's in the refrigerator

 
Banana Bread
While this dessert is technically not sugar free, it is absolutely delicious and much healthier than what you could buy in a store. Made with whole-food ingredients, it is loaded with fiber, healthy fats, clean protein, and delicious flavor.
If you are a banana bread person, definitely give this one a try this holiday season. It will fill your home with a delicious soul-warming smell that is perfect for the holidays. If you love banana bread and are concerned about the extra sugar, you can even substitute keto maple syrup or liquid stevia for the honey and maple syrup.

Grain Free Banana Bread

• Prep 20 mins
• Cook 45 mins
• Total 1 hour, 5 mins
• Yield 8 slices

Ingredients:

• 3 ripe bananas
• 3 tbsps of almond butter
• Juice of ½ lemon
• ½ cup of coconut flour
• 4 pasture-raised eggs
• 1 tsp of baking soda
• 2 tbsps of grass-fed butter, ghee or coconut oil (melted)
• 1 tbsp of raw honey or grade B maple syrup (Can also try liquid stevia or keto maple syrup for a lower carb version)
• 1 tsp of vanilla
• Pinch of Real Salt (sea salt)

Instructions:

• Step #1:  Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Grease and line your loaf tin
• Step #2:  Combine and mix coconut flour, baking soda, and salt in one bowl
• Step #3:  In another bowl, combine bananas, almond butter, lemon, eggs, butter, honey or syrup, and vanilla and blend until smooth
• Step #4:  Add wet ingredients to the dry and mix until well combined
• Step #5:  Pour mixture into the prepared tin. Bake for 45 minutes or until an inserted skewer comes out cleanly. Enjoy!

Let me know if you have any questions. Contact Us.
Source - click here.

Is It Harder to Be Skinny Today Compare to The 80-is?

This article below explains why it may be harder today to be skinny compare to 20 years ago. Keep on reading! If you have questions, let's connect!


A study finds that people today who eat and exercise the same amount as people 20 years ago are still fatter. The 2016 study published in the journal Obesity Research & Clinical Practice found that it’s harder for adults today to maintain the same weight as those 20 to 30 years ago did, even at the same levels of food intake and exercise.

The authors examined the dietary data of 36,400 Americans between 1971 and 2008 and the physical activity data of 14,419 people between 1988 and 2006. They grouped the data sets together by the amount of food and activity, age, and BMI.

They found a very surprising correlation: A given person, in 2006, eating the same amount of calories, taking in the same quantities of macronutrients like protein and fat, and exercising the same amount as a person of the same age did in 1988 would have a BMI that was about 2.3 points higher. In other words, people today are about 10 percent heavier than people were in the 1980s, even if they follow the exact same diet and exercise plans.

"Our study results suggest that if you are 25, you’d have to eat even less and exercise more than those older, to prevent gaining weight,” Jennifer Kuk, a professor of kinesiology and health science at Toronto’s York University, said in a statement. "However, it also indicates there may be other specific changes contributing to the rise in obesity beyond just diet and exercise."

Just what those other changes might be, though, are still a matter of hypothesis. In an interview, Kuk proffered three different factors that might be making harder for adults today to stay thin.

1. People are exposed to more chemicals that might be weight-gain inducing. Pesticides, flame retardants, and the substances in food packaging might all be altering our hormonal processes and tweaking the way our bodies put on and maintain weight.
   
   
2. The use of prescription drugs has risen dramatically since the '70s and '80s. Prozac, the first blockbuster SSRI, came out in 1988. Antidepressants are now one of the most commonly prescribed drugs in the U.S., and many of them have been linked to weight gain.
   
   
3. Kuk and the other study authors think that the microbiomes of Americans might have somehow changed between the 1980s and now. It’s well known that some types of gut bacteria make a person more prone to weight gain and obesity. Americans are eating more meat than they were a few decades ago, and many animal products are treated with hormones and antibiotics in order to promote growth. All that meat might be changing gut bacteria in ways that are subtle, at first, but add up over time. Kuk believes the proliferation of artificial sweeteners could also be playing a role.

The fact that the body weights of Americans today are influenced by factors beyond their control is a sign, Kuk says, that society should be kinder to people of all body types.

"There's a huge weight bias against people with obesity," she said. “They're judged as lazy and self-indulgent. That's really not the case. If our research is correct, you need to eat even less and exercise even more” just to be same weight as your parents were at your age.

Source: The Atlantic - click here

Need help getting ready for your ski season? Want better balance and core strength? I may have a few exercises we can try together.
Let's connect today!
First snow has fallen in many places.

What Natural Remedies Work and What Don't
Watch out! The cold season is coming! Time under sunshine is down and with it are Vitamin D levels. People are confined indoors. Kids are walking virus carriers. And the lovely drug stores are advertising free flu shots. Guess what? It's that time of year. A few of you are probably already sniffling or maybe trying to disregard the pain of swallowing with a sore throat.
Colds seem like an inevitability, maybe not so much since you've cleaned up your diet, but nothing is 100%. You most likely will get sick. You probably will catch a cold. Or someone close to you will. What can you do for yourself? For your sick kid or partner? Are there any natural cold remedies that actually work?

Here you go. 12 Possible Natural Remedy Suggestions That Could Help

1. High Dose Vitamin C
   Most studies find that vitamin C supplementation has little to no effect on the duration or severity of a cold. But not all. What seems to help, if anything, is a mega-dose of vitamin C.
   In one study, taking 8 grams on the first day of the cold reduced illness a bit more than taking 4 grams.
   A meta-analysis of studies concluded that taking 1 gram as a daily supplementary dose and 3-4 grams as a therapeutic dose at the onset of a cold could reduce the duration and severity.
   Verdict: Vitamin C can't hurt, so it's probably worth a shot. Try 3-8+ grams when you feel the cold coming on, and supplement 500 mg-1 g during cold season.
   
   
2. Zinc
   Having good zinc levels are a great preventive. A strong baseline intake of zinc-rich foods like shellfish and red meat is the first line of defense against upper respiratory infections.  But once you have a cold, or you feel one coming on, pounding zinc citrate lozenges or smoked oysters won't make much of a difference. What can work is taking a specific type of zinc acetate. Studies show that zinc acetate works very well at reducing the duration of colds, especially when you catch it early. Try using these lozenges every 1-2 hours when a cold first hits and letting them dissolve slowly in the mouth. It takes about 20-30 minutes for a single lozenge to dissolve, but this slow process is vital for actually getting the cold-busting effect. Don't chew.
   Verdict: Zinc acetate taken at the onset can help. Other forms of zinc are important for prevention (and general health), but probably aren't therapeutic.
   
   
3. Elderberry
   Elderberry probably has the coolest name ever, like some folk medicine out of a Tolkien story. Plus, it works.
   In intercontinental air travelers (a population at much greater risk for colds), taking elderberry syrup reduced total days with a cold (57 versus 117) and cold symptom score (247 versus 583, with higher being worse).
   In a meta-analysis of controlled trials, elderberry syrup was also shown to reduce overall cold symptoms.
   This elderberry syrup is very high quality, and even comes in a sugar-free (glycerin-based) form if you want to avoid any excess fructose.
   Verdict: Works.
   
   
4. Chicken Broth
   Does "Jewish penicillin" work? Yes, yes it does. Evidence confirms that chicken soup made from real chicken broth eases nasal congestion, improves the function of the nasal cilia protecting us from pathogen incursions, and reduces cold symptoms.
   Does it have to be chicken? As most cultures include broth-based soup in their list of effective cold remedies, it's suspected that it's the goodness of the broth that's important and any true bone broth-based soup will work.
   Verdict: Yes.
   
   
5. Garlic
   Garlic is legit. Garlic can improve immune function and reduce the occurrence of common colds. It can be one of the best anti-cold foods around.
   If I feel a cold coming on, I'll crush (let it sit for 10 min) and then dice up an entire head of garlic and lightly simmer it in a big mug of bone broth. Another way you can eat garlic is to use black garlic, garlic that's been aged for months until it turns black, soft, and sweet. Delicious and even more potent.
   Aged garlic extract can also be an effective supplement.
   Verdict: It works.
   
   
6. Acupuncture
   Acupuncture is controversial. Does it work for colds? There are some studies where it seems to help against the common cold. Like this study out of Japan or this series of case studies out of Korea. Both studies indicate the need for placebo-controlled trials to truly determine the efficacy, though. In 2018 there was a published "protocol" for just such a study, but results don't seem to be published yet.
   Even if it doesn't lessen the severity of the cold itself, I know some friends who go for acupuncture toward the end of a cold to help speed sinus drainage.
   Verdict: Unknown but perhaps.
   
   
7. Echinacea
   Echinacea is a medicinal herb native to North America, where it was traditionally used as a painkiller, laxative, and anti-microbial agent (although they didn't know what microbes were of course). Today, it's best known as an immune modulator that reduces symptoms of the common cold. Does it work?
   A Cochrane analysis of controlled trials found no benefit against colds, but it did note that "individual prophylaxis trials consistently show positive (if non-significant) trends."
   In other words, it very well might work, but we don't have gold standard evidence in either direction.
   Verdict: Might work.
   
   
8. Oregano Oil
   Oregano oil has a long history of traditional use in treating infectious diseases, and it has potent anti-bacterial effects against a broad range of microbes. It fights athlete's foot. It's broadly anti-fungal. But there simply isn't any strong evidence that it works against the common cold.
   Verdict: Not much evidence it works for colds.
   
   
9. Steam
   Get in a really hot shower, close all the windows and doors, and read a good book as the steam loosened up the nasal passages. It could work, albeit not for long. If the cold virus was still present, the nose usually clogs right back up afterwards.
   Verdict: Good for momentary relief of clogged nostrils, like right before bed.
   
   
10. Spicy Food
    Spicy food probably won't destroy a cold outright, but it can safely (and deliciously) reduce the most annoying cold symptom: stuffy noses. Capsaicin, the chili pepper component that produces a burning sensation in mammalian tissue, reduces nasal inflammation. When your nasal blood vessels are inflamed, the walls constrict; the space gets tighter and you have trouble breathing. Studies indicate that capsaicin is effective against most symptoms of nasal congestion.
    Verdict: Good for stuffy noses.
    
    
11. Nasal Irrigation
    In Sanskrit, "neti" means "nasal cleansing." The neti pot is a exactly what it sounds like. You fill a tiny plastic kettle with warm saline water, tilt your head over a sink, and pour the water into one nostril. It flows out the other one, clearing your nasal cavity and letting you breathe again. The scientific term is "nasal irrigation," and it really does work, although only against one cold symptom. But let's face it: the worst part of a bad cold is the stuffy nose that keeps you up at night, gives you dry mouth, and makes food taste bland. Neti potting can fix that right up.
    Also, it's better than antibiotics in kids with rhinosinusitis. It even improves symptoms in infants with bronchiolitis, another kind of viral infection.
    Verdict: Works.
    
    
12. Cod Liver Oil/Fish Oil
    Standard childcare practice across the world, but especially in Northern European countries, used to be a big spoonful of cod liver oil every day on your way out the door. Cod liver oil is a great source of vitamin D, vitamin A, and omega-3s—all of which figure prominently in immune function. But studies of the individual nutrients in cold prevention or treatment have had unimpressive results. What might work, though, is cod liver oil.
    One recent study found that while vitamin D levels or supplements had no effect on whether a person got a cold or not, the only thing that was associated with lower incidences of colds was taking cod liver oil (or even just regular fish oil) in the last 7 days. It's not a huge effect, and it's not necessarily causal, but it's good enough for me to recommend it.
    This is a great cod liver oil. This is a great fish oil (made by yours truly).
    Verdict: Works (and is healthy otherwise, so might as well).

So, there you go: a good list of therapies, supplements, foods, and nutrients to include (or not) in your anti-cold regimen this season. If you have any suggestions, any recommendations, or questions, contact us or add your comments below.

Source: Mark's Daily Apple - click here

Tired In the Morning? Easy Steps to Enhance Energy
Fatigue is a serious problem in our contemporary world that millions of people are facing every day. Morning fatigue is characterized by tiredness, lack of energy, or lack of motivation that is present in the morning. However, it often continues during the day. Morning fatigue may have a serious impact on physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health and overall quality of life.

The good news is that you can combat morning fatigue and enhance your energy naturally. Below are 6 potential causes and 6 steps to beef up your energy naturally to reduce morning fatigue.


6 Causes Morning Fatigue
Fatigue may have a diversity of causes, including quality of sleep, physical health, diet, and lifestyle.

1. Poor Sleep and Circadian Rhythm Disruptions
   A lack of sleep or poor sleep seems to be an obvious and logical reason behind fatigue. Sleep is incredibly important for your health and well-being. It is time for rest and repair. Ideally, you want to get 7 to 9 hours of high-quality sleep. When your sleep is short, interrupted, and irregular, it may interrupt the entire system. When you are going to bed at irregular times, you are disrupting your natural circadian rhythms that may make good sleep difficult even if you allow time for it. When you are not honoring your body’s need for sleep or health issues prevent you from sleeping well, morning fatigue is an almost inevitable consequence.
   
   
2. Blood Sugar Problems and Morning Fatigue
   You are probably familiar with the quick energy you may feel after a little sugar, and the sugar crash and sudden fatigue that follows it. Blood sugar problems may be one of the culprits behind your morning fatigue.
   One of the main signs of blood sugar issues, pre-diabetes, and diabetes is fatigue. Your body produces insulin by your pancreas to help break down glucose and use it for energy. However, if you are eating too much sugar, it will become increasingly difficult for your body to keep up. If you have diabetes, your body either can’t use insulin well or it doesn’t make enough insulin necessary. One of the main signs of diabetes is fatigue, along with extreme hunger or thirst, frequent urination, dry skin, and slow healing wounds.
   Remember, knowing the cause of your issues is your key to the right solutions. You may find out if you have blood sugar issues, pre-diabetes, or diabetes through some blood-work. You may learn about insulin resistance and how to stabilize your blood sugar naturally.
   
   
3. HPA Axis Dysfunction and Morning Fatigue
   The hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis is basically your central stress response system. It is connected to your central nervous system and endocrine system. The responsibility of your HPA axis is the neuroendocrine adaptation within your stress response. The neuroendocrine signals are responsible for lead to the release of a variety of hormones and neurotransmitters, including cortisol, epinephrine, and norepinephrine.
   However, when you are exposed to repeated and sustained stressors, it may result in sustain HPA axis activation and dysfunction. This may deplete your metabolic output, results in changes in cortisol output, affect DHEA, melatonin, and epinephrine levels, and as a result may lead to fatigue, including morning fatigue, chronic fatigue syndrome, and adrenal fatigue.
   
   
4. Hypothyroidism and Morning Fatigue
   Hypothyroidism is a condition that affects 20 million Americans. If you have hypothyroidism, your thyroid gland does not produce enough thyroid hormones resulting in a variety of health issues. One of the main symptoms of hypothyroidism is fatigue. Other symptoms may involve weight gain, feeling cold muscle pains, depression, poor memory, and hair loss.
   Determining whether your symptoms are due to hypothyroidism is easy to be determined through a blood test. Hashimoto’s disease is a common autoimmune form of hypothyroidism.
   
   
5. Mitochondrial Dysfunction
   Your mitochondria are the powerhouse of your cells. They are specialized parts of your cell that help to convert nutrients into energy and allowing your body to function at an optimal level.
   When your mitochondrial health is compromised, your entire health suffers. If you have mitochondrial dysfunction, your body cannot produce enough energy for your cells to suffer optimally. When that happens, fatigue sets in, and you won’t be able to carry on with your days as your desire.
   According to research, mitochondrial dysfunction may not only result in general fatigue but has also been linked to chronic fatigue syndrome.
   
   
6. Dehydration and Bodily Stagnation
   Hydration and regular exercise are both incredibly important for your overall health and healthy energy levels. Ideally, you want to drink at least 8 to 10 glasses of clean water a day, more if you are exercising, sick, or living in a hot climate. For general health, you should aim to get 20 to 30 minutes of exercise five days a week and generally stay active.
   If your body is dehydrated, your body cannot pump enough blood to your heart and brain. It will have to work harder and harder taking off energy. As a result, you may experience fatigue and lethargy. Not moving enough may lead to poor circulation that may also result in fatigue. Body stagnation may put you into a rut, making you weaker, less energetic, and less motivated to move.

6 Steps to Beef Up Your Energy
Below is a quick list of the 6 tips - scroll down for details on each topic:

• Sleeping Habits
• Gratitude & Prayer
• Optimize Hydration
• Get Moving Early
• Sun Exposure
• Anti-Inflammatory Foods

 

1. Prioritize Good Sleeping Habits
   Good sleep is key for reducing morning fatigue, optimizing your energy levels, and increasing your health. Sleep is essential for stress reduction, rest, and repair. Make sure to get at least 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night. Create a calming and stress-free zone in your bedroom.
   Avoid electronics at least two hours before going to bed. Instead, engage in calming activities, such as reading, board games, journaling, coloring, crossword puzzles, and loving conversations. Try prayer, meditation or a relaxation tape and sip on some herbal tea. Invest in a comfortable bed, sheets, and pillows.  
   It is also important to keep your room as dark and cool as possible (65-70 degrees) for optimal sleep. It also important to reduce your mouth breathing at night and improving your nasal breathing by practicing mouth taping.
   In the morning, either wake up naturally or get up when your alarm goes off.  If you hit the snooze button, you reduce your cortisol awakening response and you will have more fatigue throughout the day.
   
   
2. Focus on Gratitude & Prayer
   Fatigue often involves emotional and mental fatigue, not just physical fatigue. A change in your attitude, mindset, and emotional state can elevate mental fatigue and consequently may reduce physical fatigue as well. Remember, your mind and body are all connected. Having a gratitude practice is one of the best ways to shift your mood.
   When you are in a state of gratitude, you can’t experience negative emotions at the same time. If you experience morning fatigue, the best thing is to start your day with some gratitude and prayer. Focus on gratitude throughout the day. Acknowledge the small good things in your life. Keep a gratitude journal and jot down 3 to 5 things you are grateful for each night.
   
   
3. Optimize Hydration
   Optimal hydration is a non-negotiable for your overall health and healthy energy levels. After a good night sleep and not drinking for 7 to 9 hours, you wake up dehydrated. To combat morning fatigue, it is important that you rehydrate your cells right away. Start your day with 16 to 32 ounces of water.
   You may add some lemon or lime to support your metabolism, digestion, and optimize your pH levels. Drink plenty of water throughout the day. I recommend at least 8 to 10 glasses, however, you may need more. Listen to your body. You may add some lemon, lime, or apple cider vinegar (ACV) and a pinch of salt if you feel dehydrated to replenish your electrolyte levels and keep your well-hydrated and energized.
   
   
4. Get Moving Early in the Day
   Regular exercise and moving your body are essential for healthy energy levels and overall well-being. Movement increases blood flow and circulation. It reduces your stress levels, lowers mental fatigue, depression, and anxiety. Regular exercise also helps your sleep cycle allowing you to feel energized during the day and get rest at night. Make sure to exercise four to five days a week 20 to 30 minutes a day. Try to stay active and move your body regularly every day. If you have morning fatigue, get moving early in the day. If you don’t have time for a full workout, make sure to stretch, do some rebounding on a trampoline, or go for a short morning walk.
   
   
5. Get Sun Exposure Early in the Day
   Sun exposure incredibly important for your overall health. Sunshine can be uplifting for your mood and energizing for your body. Sun exposure helps to fill your body with plenty of vitamin D, which is important for your energy levels, brain health, gut health, immune system, bones, and lungs. If you are dealing with morning fatigue, get some sun exposure early in the day. It is a great opportunity to breathe in some fresh air and perhaps a short nature walk or grounding as well.
   
   
6. Anti-Inflammatory Nutrition Plan
   Chronic inflammation can have serious consequences on your body, including serious fatigue and morning fatigue. To eliminate morning fatigue from your life and increase energy, I recommend an anti-inflammatory nutrition plan. Eliminate refined sugars, refined oils, unhealthy fats, processed foods, junk foods, artificial ingredients, and toxins.
   Eat lots of nutrient-dense, anti-inflammatory foods, including leafy greens, such as collard greens and kale, non-starchy vegetables, such as cucumber, pepper, and celery, herbs and spices, such as ginger, turmeric, and rosemary, low-glycemic index fruits, such as berries and lemon, healthy fats, such as avocados, coconut oil, and grass-fed butter or ghee, clean protein, such as organic grass-fed beef, pasture-raised poultry, wild-caught fish, wild game, and free-range eggs, nuts and seeds, such as almonds, cashews, hemp seeds, and pumpkin seeds, and fermented foods, such as sauerkraut, kimchi, and kefir.

Connect with me if you have questions or want to figure you're individual situation out.

Numerous medical and social studies have revealed the number 1 reason why people in the US do not engage in daily exercise. Can you guess what it is? Not surprisingly, it is a lack of time, and the kicker here is that this isn't just a lame excuse. It is actually a consequence of a decidedly American work ethic that has us spending more time at work than anyone else in the industrialized world.

Workplace wellness is a fairly new practice that’s been gaining popularity in corporate America. The result is a growing familiarity with health promotion in offices and organizations where once it was almost unheard of.

Typically, workplace wellness programs include health education seminars, medical and fitness screenings, weight loss or management challenges and on-site fitness classes or gym installations. Providing an on-site fitness program offers a solution to the lack of time for exercise and, while employees can take advantage of the health benefits from training on-site, they also experience increased job satisfaction as an added bonus.

Active employees are more energetic and productive, display job satisfaction and have reduced chances of developing a chronic diseases.

In fact, according to the US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health, it is a lack of exercise that is the primary cause of most chronic diseases. Based on this information, it stands to reason then that in-house fitness programs are a smart choice for business owners who want to cut expensive healthcare costs while improving company morale.

It is clear that the benefits of having workplace fitness and training programs are numerous. Below is quick list of the reasons why businesses should be taking advantage of this remarkable new health and fitness trend.

• TIME: The number 1 reason why people do not work out is a lack of time, but not working out is also the number 1 reason for chronic illnesses. Obviously people need to make time and personal training in the workplace is an easy solution.
• COST: Healthy employees cost less. A study from the University of Michigan found that employees who were at a high risk for metabolic syndrome but worked out regularly lowered their average healthcare costs to the same level as healthy employees with no risk.  Exercise provides a level of protection that can save both employer and employee from costly healthcare expenses in the long run.
• PRODUCTIVITY: Employees who are healthy and active are much more satisfied in their positions and are more productive as a result.
• EDUCATION: Some trainers have certifications to provide injury protection and rehab to employees which is another way future injuries and expensive treatments can be avoided. It also allows employees to learn proper techniques and exercising methods that they would not learn from working out alone at a gym or at home.

Other Great Benefits of a Personal Trainer that your employees could benefit from:

1. It is Educational: One of the primary reasons that someone should have a Personal Trainer is that they are trained in teaching others how to exercise.
2. Form: Having a Personal Trainer beside you to demonstrate the correct posture and technique is invaluable. A Personal Trainer will ensure clients are performing exercises correctly and efficiently, in order to maximize results.
3. Uniqueness: Trainers Can Help With Your Unique Requirements - Everybody is different, and that means everyone’s abilities and requirements are different when it comes to exercise. This could be anything from having an old injury that requires special exercises to having a phobia that may impact on where or how you workout.
4. Realistic Goals: They Help You Set Realistic Goals - Everyone wants to achieve their goals straight away, whether they be weight loss, cheese grater abs or Hulk-like strength. But these are not always achievable, and if you don’t hit them then you may be discouraged and backslide.
5. Specific Goals: They Can Help With Specific Goals, Such As Training For An Event - As well as helping their clients set realistic goals, Personal Trainers are the perfect tool to help you achieve a specific goal. This is ideal for those who are training for a specific event, or need to achieve a certain level of fitness before they are able to do something they really want.
6. Accountability: They Hold You Accountable - How many times have you gone to bed and said to yourself, "Tomorrow I’m going to wake up, go to the gym, and do an hour workout before I get ready for work", and then woken up and decided to sleep for another hour instead of exercising? This is where a Personal Trainer is critical to ensuring that you commit and stick to your fitness goals.
7. Time: No Wasted Time = Maximum Results
8. More Than Fitness - It is Not Just Fitness They Can Help With - When completing my Certificates in Fitness and Nutrition, I was required to complete many testes in both fields.
9. Mental: They Improve Your Mental Health - It has long been known that physical exercise can help with mental health issues such as depression, and that it is a recommended part of treatment by many medical health professionals. Having a Personal Trainer to help with your exercise plan when you suffer from mental health problems can help with motivation
10. Therapy: They're An Unofficial Therapist - Let's be honest, most of the time when exercising with your Personal Trainer you will be telling them about your week, how work is going, and what’s wrong with your life at the time. This is normal! A Personal Trainer is there to help with your fitness goals, yes, but they’re also there to help improve your overall well-being.
11. Habits: They Help You Form Good Habits - It can take weeks to form good habits, and even longer to break bad ones - and trying to do it on your own is hard work.
12. Personalized: Personalized Training Plan - There are always going to be some exercises that you enjoy more than others, beyond simple capability. For example, just because you can physically do burpees doesn’t mean that you always want to, but you might really like doing squat jumps and sit ups instead.
13. Scheduling: They Fit Into Your Schedule - Regardless of whether the only time you have available to train is at a ridiculously early hour before work, or on your lunch break, or mid-afternoon before the kids come home from school - a Personal Trainer is one of the most versatile professions in terms of hours.
14. Flexibility: Increased Flexibility For Location - Not everyone enjoys the atmosphere of a crowded gym, or having to wait for the machine you want to use to become available. The benefit of having a Personal Trainer is that you aren't limited to working out where equipment is available
15. Challenge: They Challenge You - Are you getting bored with your fitness routine? Have you progressed beyond the exercises you know and have plateaued in your fitness? A Personal Trainer is what you need to take you to the next level, and continuously challenge your abilities.

If a workplace wellness program or on-site personal training is on your to-do list, but you don't know where or how to get started, we can help you by getting your new health initiative off the ground. Contact us today.

What is The Single Best Thing We Can Do for Our Health?

I thought it is time to re-post one of my favorite videos from 2017. I have been noticing a few too many excuses from certain people to get back in shape, so here it goes.

What is the single best thing you can do for your health? No doubt, preventative medicine is the best. It is the key to longevity and overall good health. Weighing less, drinking less, smoking less, control cholesterol and blood pressure are all part of that. So please do not minimize your efforts in any of these categories.

BUT, what comes 1st? Where do you get the best ROI - return on your investment - in terms of your health? Think about it…What improves your overall quality of life? Anybody?

Walk for 30 min a day! Not run a marathon or triathlon…JUST WALK FOR 30 MIN EVERY DAY.

It is one of the single most important thing you can do for your health. Most of our 24 hour day is spent sitting, driving, watching TV, sleeping and so forth.

Can you invest 30 min of that for your health?

Watch the Video Illustration below:

Do I need S M A R T  Goals for my Health?

Short answer is most likely yes, it would make your life much easier. Whether you want to boost your activity levels or implement a new diet, setting SMART health goals can take you closer to success. SMART goals are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-bound.

Change Is Hard - But Why?
We all know that change can be hard. Especially when it comes to transforming unhealthy habits into healthy ones. If it weren't, the chronic disease epidemic would be non-existent. We would all eat a nutrient-dense, whole-foods diet, get sufficient sleep, manage stress levels, and embrace other aspects of a healthy, primal lifestyle.
But, we as a population clearly don't do that. Only about 6% of American's actually follow these 5 basic, healthy habits:

1. Don't smoke
2. Limit alcohol
3. Maintaining a healthy BMI
4. Exercising regularly
5. Sleep enough.

A few Harvard researchers found that men who pursued these five low-risk lifestyle behaviors could add an average of 12 years to their lives; for women, that number jumped to 14.

Although there's a clear motivator to live a healthy life, many of us just don't do so. Why? Is there something fundamentally wrong with us that causes us to behave in ways that aren't in our best interests? Not at all. The fact is, we're not always ready to change and, even once we are, many of us don't know how to do it.

The change happens in multiple stages. At the beginning, most of us are not ready to take new actions. It's hard. It's inconvenient. It hurts. It feels different. We may feel doubtful or uncertain about whether we really need to change, we may not feel prepared, and we're not all that motivated to make any big shifts in our lifestyles. However, eventually, as we progress through the stages of change, that ambivalence dissolves. We make a decision and we feel motivated to follow through. Either because we had a talk with our children, we spoke to a good friend, we watched an interesting documentary, you name it. This is the stage where goal setting can help the most and it's a great time to try out the SMART methodology.
 
How to Set SMART Goals for Your Health
It matters how we define and articulate our goals to achieve them. The SMART methodology aims to help you establish and express your goals by ensuring that they're:

• Specific
• Measurable
• Attainable
• Relevant
• Time-bound

 
Specific
Specific means you've targeted a precise area for improvement.
Example:

• General goal: I want to be less stressed
• Specific SMART goal: To decrease my stress levels, this month I will practice a breathing exercise every Tuesday and Thursday at 8am.

 
Measurable
Measurable means you can quantify and track your progress towards your goal. When setting your SMART goal, identify how you'll monitor your headway. Ask yourself: "How will I know when I have accomplished my goal?"
Example:

• Unattainable goal: I want to exercise more frequently, but I don't want to over-train and get injured
• Attainable SMART goal: To increase my physical activity without overtraining, I'll replace a CrossFit or HIIT routine with yoga twice a week this month.

 
Relevant
Relevant means it's a worthwhile goal that matches what you want from your life. The best goals align with your values, beliefs, desires, dreams and purpose.
Example:

• Non-relevant goal: I want to compete in a marathon in the next 4 months, but I hate running.
• Relevant SMART goal: Because I'm a supporting entrepreneur in my community, I'll exercise three days a week this month at the local personal training studio.

 
Time-bound
Time-bound means that you're setting a deadline for your goal. Without a cutoff date for completion, you’re more likely to procrastinate. The examples above all include clear timelines that orient the goal in the present, not some distant time in the future.
 
FINAL THOUGHTS: Important to remember is that the SMART approach is not a perfect fit for everyone. Around 40 percent of people do great with having objective-oriented goals (like SMART goals). The remaining 60 percent would benefit from a more directional, less specific approach. Embrace SMART goals for your health journey. If you're ready to set SMART goals, consider reach out. We can offer you one-on-one support to create and sustain steady, and even dramatic, change in your life.

Laughter is the Best Medicine
 
It's fun to share a good laugh, but did you know it can actually improve your health?

Learn how to harness the powerful benefits of laughter and humor.

It's no joke! Laughter is strong medicine. It draws people together in ways that trigger healthy physical and emotional changes in the body. Laughter strengthens your immune system, boosts mood, diminishes pain, and protects you from the damaging effects of stress. Humor lightens your burdens, inspires hope, connects you to others, and keeps you grounded, focused, and alert. It also helps you release anger and forgive sooner.

A good laugh has great short-term effects. When you start to laugh, it doesn't just lighten your load mentally, it actually induces physical changes in your body. It's also good for you over the long term.

Here is a good list of why laughter is good for your health:

• Laughter can relax the whole body
  A good, hearty laugh relieves physical tension and stress, leaving your muscles relaxed for up to 45 minutes after.
• Laughter can boost the immune system
  Laughter decreases stress hormones and increases immune cells and infection-fighting antibodies, thus improving your resistance to disease.
• Laughter can trigger the release of endorphins
  These are the body's natural feel-good chemicals. Endorphins promote an overall sense of well-being and can even temporarily relieve pain.
• Laughter can protect the heart
  Laughter improves the function of blood vessels and increases blood flow, which can help protect you against a heart attack and other cardiovascular problems.
• Laughter can burn calories
  Well, ok, so it's no substitute for going to the gym, but one study found that laughing for 10 to 15 minutes a day can burn approximately 40 calories, which could be enough to lose three or four pounds over the course of a year.
• Laughter can lighten anger’s heavy load
  Nothing diffuses anger and conflict faster than a shared laugh. Looking at the funny side can put problems into perspective and enable you to move on from confrontations without holding onto bitterness or resentment.
• Laughter may even help you to live longer
  A study in Norway found that people with a strong sense of humor outlived those who don’t laugh as much. The difference was particularly notable for those battling

How to bring more laughter into your life
Laughter is your birthright, a natural part of life that is innate and inborn. Babies begin smiling during the first weeks of life and laugh out loud within months of being born. Even if you did not grow up in a household where laughter was a common sound, you can learn to laugh at any stage of life.

Begin by setting aside special times to seek out humor and laughter, as you might with exercising, and build from there. Eventually, you'll want to incorporate humor and laughter into the fabric of your life, finding it naturally in everything.

Here some good ways you could try to start:

• Smile
  Smiling is the beginning of laughter, and like laughter, it's contagious. When you look at someone or see something even mildly pleasing, practice smiling. Instead of looking down at your phone, look up and smile at people you pass in the street, the person serving you a morning coffee, or the co-workers you share an elevator with. Notice the effect on others.
• Count your blessings
  Literally make a list. The simple act of considering the positive aspects of your life will distance you from negative thoughts that block humor and laughter. When you're in a state of sadness, you have further to travel to reach humor and laughter.
• When you hear laughter, move toward it
  Sometimes humor and laughter are private, a shared joke among a small group, but usually not. More often, people are very happy to share something funny because it gives them an opportunity to laugh again and feed off the humor you find in it. When you hear laughter, seek it out and ask, "What's funny?"
• Spend time with fun, playful people
  These are people who laugh easily, both at themselves and at life's absurdities, and who routinely find the humor in everyday events. Their playful point of view and laughter are contagious. Even if you don't consider yourself a lighthearted, humorous person, you can still seek out people who like to laugh and make others laugh. Every comedian appreciates an audience.
• Bring humor into conversations
  Ask people, "What's the funniest thing that happened to you today? This week? In your life?"

 
And here a great list to create opportunities to laugh

• Watch a funny movie, TV show, or go on YouTube
• Invite friends or co-workers out to a comedy club
• Read the funny pages
• Seek out funny people
• Share a good joke or a funny story
• Check out your bookstore's humor section
• Host game night with friends & family
• Play with a pet
• Go to a "laughter yoga" class
• Goof around with children
• Do something silly
• Make time for fun activities (e.g. bowling, miniature golfing, karaoke)

 
No go out and laugh, have fun, life is not that serious.

Sources:

• HelpGuide article
  
• Mayo Clinic article
  

We Are All Unique

What works for you may not work for me. Keto (high-fat, low-carb) can work beautifully for some, but not for others.

• So how do you find out what you should do?
  
• How do you calculate your macronutrient ratios (carbs, fats, proteins)?
  

 
Quick Explanation of the Three.
 
Carbs
Carbohydrates are one of two primary energy sources for humans (the other is fat) and include sugars, starches, and cellulose. Carbs are present in both healthy foods, such as vegetables, fruits, and starchy tubers, and unhealthy foods, namely refined flour and sugar. The consumption of refined flour and sugar in excess is potentially harmful and could contribute to the development of many chronic diseases. On the other hand, eating small amounts of refined sugar now and then, ideally in foods such as dark chocolate and real ice cream, is not a problem unless you struggle with blood sugar issues or severe gut dysbiosis.
 
Fats
Next to carbs, dietary fats constitute a primary energy source for the body. They also help maintain healthy skin and hair, immune function, and temperature regulation and facilitate the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins. There are four classes of fats found in the human diet:

• Saturated Fats (milk, meat of ruminant animals, coconut products, including coconut oil, milk, and meat)
• Monounsaturated Fats (olives, olive oil, avocados, mac nuts, lard, duck fat)
• Polyunsaturated Fats (seafood, walnuts, sunflower seeds)
• Trans Fats

 
Protein
Dietary protein is not a significant energy source for the body but is essential for providing amino acids for many biological processes, including the assembly of enzymes and signaling molecules, the maintenance of skin and muscle, and for healthy growth and development.
Sources of complete protein include meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and dairy products.
 

Now How To Calculate Your Macros
First, start with the Carbs, then Protein, then fill in the rest with Fats.

1. Carbs
Based on your health status, age, activity level, and other lifestyle factors, select one of the categories of carbohydrate intake:

• Very-low is less than 10 percent of total calories
• Low is 10 to 15 percent of total calories
• Moderate is 15 to 30 percent of total calories
• High-carb is more than 30 percent of total calories

Once you have chosen a category, convert the percent of carbohydrates into a decimal (for example, 15 percent becomes 0.15) and multiply this by your total daily calorie intake. For instance, if you are a man who eats approximately 2,500 calories per day and are aiming for a carb intake of 15 percent, multiply 0.15 x 2,500. The answer is 375, which represents your daily calorie intake from carbs. Divide this number by four, because there are four calories in one gram of carbs, to get the number of grams of carbohydrates (in this case, 94 g) per day.
 
2. Protein
Select the protein intake category that best fits your health status, activity level, and life stage. Meaning, a generally healthy person should aim for 10 to 20 percent of total calories, while someone who is trying to lose weight, correct blood sugar problems, or gain muscle mass could aim for 20 to 35 percent of total calories.
Example: If you are a man looking to lose weight, you may aim for 25 percent of calories as protein. Multiply your daily calorie intake, 2,500 calories, by 0.25 (625 protein calories). Then divide by four (as with carbs, there are four calories per gram of protein) to get your daily recommended protein intake, in this example, 156 grams.
 
3. Rest should be Fats
Once you've determined your ideal carb and protein intakes, fill in the remaining gap with fat. And there are nine calories in one gram of fat. Adjust the types of fats you're consuming based on your genetics and health status.

 
For the full article, in depth details, resources and references, go to Chris Kesser's website. Source - click here.

Declining muscle mass is part of aging, but you are not helpless to stop it.
 
Muscle aging may start at a relatively young age. By the time you’re in your 30s, age-related muscle loss (sarcopenia) may already have begun if you've neglected to take proactive steps to prevent it.

Your muscles help keep your metabolic system intact, and maintaining muscle mass helps protect you against metabolic and hormonal decline, obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.

With appropriate diet and exercise, especially strength training, you can avoid and even reverse age-related muscle loss.

We all know the saying, "Two things for certain in life are death and taxes"… but in fact we should add "losing muscle mass", too.

Age-related muscle loss, is a natural part of aging. After age 30, you begin to lose as much as 3% to 5% per decade. Most men will lose about 30% of their muscle mass during their lifetimes. Less muscle means greater weakness and less mobility, both of which may increase your risk of falls and fractures.

But just because you lose muscle mass does not mean it is gone forever. We can indeed increase muscle mass lost due to aging. It takes work, dedication, and a plan, but it is never too late to rebuild muscle and maintain it.

Factors
One possible contributor to sarcopenia is the natural decline of testosterone, the hormone that stimulates protein synthesis and muscle growth. Think of testosterone as the fuel for your muscle-building fire.
The best way to build muscle mass, no matter your age, is resistance training or strength training or weight lifting. Make sure you gradually amp up your workout volume, weight, reps, and sets, as your strength and endurance improve. Always keep changing your routine. Add more weights, less reps or visa-versa. This constant challenging builds muscle and keeps you away from plateaus where you stop making gains.

Diet
Your diet also plays a role in building muscle mass. Use high quality proteins and fats. Minimize carbs. Animal sources (meat, eggs, and fish) are considered the best, as they provide the proper ratios of all the essential amino acids. You want to stay away from processed meat because of high levels of saturated fat and additives.
 
Insulin Resistance Promotes Muscle Wasting
First of all, it's important to realize that maintaining healthy insulin sensitivity is part and parcel of maintaining healthy muscle and avoiding sarcopenia. As you age, insulin no longer prevents your muscle from breaking down between meals and overnight as it normally does when you're young. The same phenomenon occurs when you're insulin resistant or diabetic.
The mechanism responsible for this is called mTOR (Mammalian Target of Rapamycin), which is part of the insulin pathway. This is why insulin sensitivity is essential for proper protein building in your muscle. In short, to build muscle, the mTOR mechanism must be activated. If your insulin receptors are insensitive, this cannot occur, and muscle wasting becomes inevitable. The mTOR mechanism can be activated through both diet and exercise.
Whey protein (watch out for inferior whey products!) is a highly beneficial dietary component as it not only increases GLP-1, a satiety peptide that promotes healthy insulin secretion and helps your insulin work more effectively - it also boosts human growth hormone (HGH). High-intensity interval exercises and intermittent fasting also promote HGH production in your body.
The triple combination of doing high intensity exercises while fasting and consuming high-quality whey protein 30 minutes after your workout is one potent strategy for preventing insulin resistance and muscle wasting.
Another lifestyle factor to consider is sensible sun exposure, as vitamin D is critically important for muscle function. (It's also essential for bone health, along with calcium and magnesium.) Vitamin D deficiency also raises your risk for insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes, regardless of your weight.

Power
Building muscle is not all about strength. You also need power. Muscle power, how fast and efficiently you move, is more connected to the activities of daily living and physical function than muscular strength. A good way to improve overall muscle power is with your legs, since they are most responsible for mobility. Do quicker movements against resistance, like one's own body weight, can be an effective means of developing power.

Tailored Program
To gain more muscle mass, older men need a structured and detailed fitness program. It should be tailored to the individual with the goals being progression and improvement. It should focus on individual elements like specific exercises, load, repetitions, and rest periods, and should challenge but not overwhelm. You don't want to be sore for 3 days!

Sarcopenia Is Not an Inevitable Fate
While muscle loss is a natural effect associated with aging, it’s not an inevitable fate. A healthy and active 60 year old can have the muscle mass of a 30-year old, while a sedentary middle-aged person who eats a primarily processed food diet and struggles with insulin resistance or diabetes may have the muscle quality of a 70-year old.

Remember, eating real, whole foods and staying active are key, as both will help prevent insulin resistance. In terms of staying active, avoid sitting as much as possible and be sure to engage in resistance exercises. A potent trifecta of strategies that will boost muscle growth is to do high intensity exercises while fasted, and then consume high-quality whey protein after your workout to give your muscles the nutrients they need to rebuild.

Sources: Harvard Health & Dr. Mercola

Are you Having digestive Issues? Go easy on the Veggies!
 
You may know that certain classes of foods, known as FODMAPs, are poorly digested in certain people and can lead to gas, bloating, pain and changes in stool frequency and consistency. Studies have shown that conditions like Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) are associated with FODMAP intolerance, and that a low-FODMAP diet offers relief in a substantial percentage of people with IBS.
 
Today's tip for those of you with digestive issues, including IBS, constipation, diarrhea and acid reflux: EAT FEWER VEGETABLES!

Yep, that’s right. I said it! Fewer vegetables.

Vegetables (as well as some fruits) are often high in insoluble fiber. While soluble fiber can be soothing for the gut, consuming large amounts of insoluble fiber when your gut is inflamed is a little bit like rubbing a wire brush against an open wound.

High insoluble fiber veggies:

• Greens (spinach, lettuce, kale, mesclun, collards, arugula, watercress)
• Whole peas, snow peas, snap peas, pea pods
• Green beans
• Kernel corn
• Bell peppers
• Eggplant
• Celery
• Onions, shallots, leeks, scallions, garlic
• Cabbage, bok choy, Brussels sprouts
• Broccoli
• Cauliflower

High in soluble fiber veggies, but lower in insoluble fiber (and thus tend to be safer for those with gut issues) include:

• Carrots
• Winter squash
• Summer squash (especially peeled)
• Starchy tubers (yams, sweet potatoes, potatoes)
• Turnips
• Rutabagas
• Parsnips
• Beets
• Plantains
• Taro
• Yuca

Another helpful tip is to reduce the variety of vegetables you eat at any given meal. Instead of stir-fries with six different veggies, have a single steamed or roasted vegetable as a side dish. This works better for most people with gut issues.

Let's be clear, I'm not suggesting that you don't eat these foods at all if you have digestive problems. I'm simply suggesting that you limit them.

Below a few steps you can take to make these foods more digestible and less likely to cause problems.

They include:

1. Never eat insoluble fiber foods on an empty stomach - Always eat them with other foods that contain soluble fiber.
2. Remove the stems and peels - (i.e. from broccoli, cauliflower, and winter greens) from veggies (and fruits) high in insoluble fiber.
3. Dice, mash, chop, grate or blend high-insoluble fiber foods to make them easier to break down.
4. Insoluble fiber foods are best eaten well-cooked - Steamed thoroughly, boiled in soup, braised, etc; avoid consuming them in stir-fries and if you do eat them raw

 
Think Primal - It's worth pointing out that most traditional cultures only ate a few vegetables and fruits that were available seasonally. They couldn't walk into a grocery store and buy every vegetable on the planet at every time of year.

AND, please don't forget, I have nothing against vegetables. In fact, they're good and I do think they’re beneficial.

One more tip: Fermented vegetables like sauerkraut, kim chi, sauerruben, and cortido are excellent alternatives for people with gut issues. First, the fermentation process “pre-digests” the vegetables and makes them easier to absorb. Second, fermented veggies contain probiotic microorganisms that help heal the gut.

5 Primal Tips For Optimizing Meat Consumption
Let's just start off with one of the most important item: ENJOY YOUR MEATS! Savor the juices dripping down your chin from a grilled burger. Relish the tenderness of slow roasted chicken. Sink your teeth into the creamy, flaky textures of a perfectly sautéed salmon fillet. In other words, embrace the gastronome experience for everything it can be.
 
Then check these FIVE tips next time you consume protein:
 

1. Go For Variety
Get the full range of nutrients available and minimize the possible risks of eating too much of any one thing. Eat a wide variety of sources, a move that ensures you're getting all the amino acids you need to perform basic physiological processes. A mussel might give you similar amino acids as a chicken thigh, but the similarities end there. The mussel provides manganese, selenium, a ton of B12, and some folate. The chicken thigh provides less B12, some niacin, a little more magnesium. Eat ruminants (beef, bison, lamb, pork). Eat birds such as turkey, chicken, duck. Get some fin fish like salmon, cod, halibut, sardines. Eat shellfish such as oysters, clams, mussels. Eat cephalopods like squid, cuttlefish, octopus. And, yes, even eat insects. After all, they aren't as bad as you imagine.
Eating a variety of meats, poultry and fish also minimizes the risk of excess iron-intake. Eating calcium-rich foods with your meat further reduces iron absorption and, in animal studies, reduces the carcinogenicity of dietary heme. 


2. Eat Pastured/Wild When Ever Possible
Grass-fed and pasture-raised meat is better for you. And more nutrients from a varied, grazing diet as well as a better fatty acid profile. It's also better for the environment, and better for the animal. Choose it when you can, but know an otherwise nutrient-dense diet and wise supplementation can cover your bases regardless.


3. Slow Cook When You Can 
Slow cooking (less than 375 ºF) minimizes the production of carcinogens associated with cooked meat. Studies show this is especially important for those with insulin resistance. Still, if you love grilled meat, don't give up your grilled steaks and chicken. But be more strategic about it. Slow cook much of your meat and use marinades with herbs like rosemary and thyme - the top two herbs for reducing heterocyclic amines.


4. Eat Vegetables (and Favor Prebiotic Fiber)
Variety matters for more than just meat. Vegetables and fruits are sources of vitamins and phytonutrients that meat just can't offer to the same degree. And then there's gut health. The oft-cited study used to criticize keto, for example, was a diet of cold cuts, bacon and cheese. In other words, a diet bereft of vegetables and gut-nourishing prebiotic fiber. Plus, cruciferous vegetables like broccoli counteract the formation of potentially harmful meaty compounds in the gut. By the way, coffee, tea, and red wine also have similar effects (although we don't often think of them as plants, these drinks are made from plants). Try to buy organic whenever possible!


5. Eat Collagen, Too
Meat is one of the richest sources of methionine, an essential amino acid. But there's evidence that excessive methionine can depress lifespan and that putting rats on a low-methionine diet extends their life. Collagen is the single best source of glycine, an amino acid that "balances" methionine. In those same rats, adding glycine to a methionine-rich diet restores longevity. You can accomplish this by eating collagenous cuts, like ears, feet, skin, tails, and shanks. You can do this by using supplementary collagen (or eating foods that contain it). 

Top 12 Best Foods to Reduce Inflammation

To prevent, improve, or heal from an autoimmune condition, it is critical to reduce the inflammation in your body. Choosing the right foods to nourish your body is one of the most critical factors for reducing inflammation and preventing or improving autoimmune conditions. The foods you consume every day have the power to heal your body or to harm and inflame your body. To lower inflammation and improve autoimmunity, you should eliminate pro-inflammatory foods that may be triggering an immune response. Replace those foods with the 12 best foods to reduce inflammation. See list below.

What is an Autoimmune Condition?
Your immune system is your body’s defense mechanism. It is designed to protect you from disease and other potentially harmful foreign invaders. When functioning properly, the immune system identifies and destroys threats such as viruses, bacteria, and parasites. An autoimmune condition occurs when the body’s immune system turns on its own cells and tissues. The immune system mistakenly identifies the healthy cells and tissues as foreign invaders and mounts an attack to destroy them. This can happen in almost any part of the body, including the brain, muscles, skin, and other organs.

Food Sensitivities and Autoimmunity
The gut is critically important with autoimmune conditions because gut bacteria heavily regulate your immune system. In fact, 70% of your immune system resides in your gut. One of the main ways that the factors above lead to autoimmunity is by inflaming and damaging the gut and destroying the beneficial bacteria. When the gut lining is damaged, it can become porous. Foods and other things that you are consuming pass through these holes in the gut lining and into your bloodstream. Your immune system is exposed to these foods and reacts to the foods as a threat, amplifying the immune response.

Anti-Inflammatory Diet and Autoimmune Conditions
A major contributor to autoimmune conditions is inflammation. One of the leading causes of inflammation is a poor diet such as the Standard American Diet (SAD).
The foods included in the Standard American Diet (SAD) diet are extremely inflammatory. They contain high levels of advanced glycation end products (AGEs), or glycotoxins. These compounds cause inflammation and oxidative stress, damaging tissue throughout the body.
 
Top 12 AutoImmune Diet Foods to Reduce Inflammation
The autoimmune diet focuses on real whole foods that are the least likely to trigger an immune reaction.  Deficiencies in antioxidants, vitamins, and micronutrients can affect the body’s ability to resolve inflammation. Consuming micronutrient rich foods can help to reduce inflammation, support your immune system, and improve autoimmune conditions.  It is also important to make sure these foods are organic because pesticides have been linked to autoimmune conditions

Here the list of the top 12 foods:

1. Fatty Fish (Salmons, Sardines, Herring, Mackerel, Anchovies)
2. Olives & Olive Oil
3. Turmeric
4. Berries (blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, and cranberries)
5. Avocados
6. Leafy Greens (spinach, kale, chard, arugula, Swiss chard, collards, bok choy)
7. Green Tea
8. Cruciferous Vegetables (brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, kale and mustard greens)
9. Coconut Oil
10. Mushrooms
11. Carminative Herbs (arugula, basil, black pepper, cilantro, cinnamon, garlic, ginger, peppermint, rosemary, sage, fennel, thyme, and turmeric)
12. Bone Broth and Collagen

Full details and references - click here.

Healthy fats are essential for good health.  However, some fats can be extremely unhealthy. When using fats, it is important to differentiate between healing fats and toxic fats. Healing fats are nutritious fats that are anti-inflammatory and supply the body with energy and building blocks for different tissues.

On the other hand, toxic fats are highly inflammatory and can contribute to a series of health problems. Learning which fats to stay away from and what healthy fats to incorporate in your diet may be one of the most important dietary strategies you implement into your life.

Fat research is clear: Two recent studies completely debunked the arguments for a low-fat, high-carb diet. In an August 2017 study published in the Lancet, scientists concluded "a high carbohydrate intake was associated with an adverse impact on total mortality, whereas fats including saturated and unsaturated fatty acids were associated with lower risk of total mortality and stroke. We did not observe any detrimental effect of fat intakes on cardiovascular disease events". And, a September 5, 2017 study agreed, finding that a high-fat, low-carb ketogenic diet extends longevity and promotes health.

Now here is the KEY: For fats to provide these health benefits, you must incorporate healing fats, rather than bad fats, into the diet. To do this you must first be able to identify healing fats and bad fats. It is also important to distinguish saturated and unsaturated fats, non-animal fats and animal fats, and fats for hot uses and fats for cold uses.

Below is a simple list of some of the best healing fats.

Healing non-animal fats:

• Avocados
• Avocado oil
• Nuts and nut butters
• Coconut
• Coconut milk and coconut oil
• Olives and olive oil

Healing animal fats:

• Grass-fed butter
• Ghee
• Dairy
• Grass-fed meats
• Organic, pastured chicken
• Egg yolks

Healing fats provide building blocks for cell membranes and hormones. They also function as carriers for important fat-soluble vitamins such as vitamins A, D, E, and K and aid in the absorption of minerals. Healing fats are essential for a healthy body and lifestyle. Let’s look more closely at several healing fats.
 
A Few Words About Omega 3 & 6
In short, boost 3 reduce 6! Omega-3 fatty acids are polyunsaturated fats found in fatty fish such as salmon and sardines. They are also found in walnuts and some seeds, such as chia seeds. They are liquid at room temperature. They reduce inflammation and lower the risk of chronic diseases including heart disease, cancer, and arthritis. Omega-3 fatty acids can help lower triglycerides and apoproteins (markers of diabetes), and raise HDL (“good” cholesterol) levels.  Omega-3 fats are also essential for brain and eye health.

When in the correct balance with omega-3 fats, omega-6 fats are healing fats. Like omega-3 fatty acids, omega-6 fatty acids are polyunsaturated fats. There are healthy and unhealthy sources of omega-6 fats. Healthy sources include sunflower seeds, wheat germ, sesame seeds, and walnuts. When eaten in the ideal ratio with omega-3 fats (between 4:1 and 1:1), these omega-6 fats promote health.

NOTE: Unfortunately, most Americans follow the Standard American Diet (SAD) and consume a much larger amount of oxidized omega-6 fatty acids found in corn and soybeans.


How To Cook With Oils

Healthy Fat Bonus
Another excellent way to add healing fats to your diet is to include them in smoothies. Healing fats that are delicious in smoothies include:

• avocados
• flax and chia seeds
• coconut or MCT oil
• nuts or nut butters

You can also use full-fat coconut milk as a great base for smoothies.

 
Worst Fats
The most common sources of unhealthy fats are man-made saturated fats and highly processed unsaturated fats. Man-made saturated fats, including trans fats, are extremely harmful. Unsaturated processed oils, such as vegetable oil, canola oil and corn oil, oxidize easily and are never healthy.

Article Source & References - click here.

Want to Balance Your Blood Sugar?

Below are 12 great foods to help you balance your blood sugar levels naturally. Carbs, processed foods, and many sugars throw off our ability to have stable blood sugar levels which can drive up inflammation, throws off hormones, and reduces our health and vitality overall. It is highly suggested to take steps to balance your blood sugar so you can improve your health.

For more details regarding these 12 foods, scroll down. Here is the list:

1. Coconut
2. Turmeric
3. Cinnamon
4. Raw Chocolate
5. Organic Coffee
6. Green Tea
7. Apple Cider Vinegar
8. Lemons & Limes
9. Avocados
10. Olives & Olive Oil
11. Grass-Fed Butter
12. Pasture-Raised Eggs

1. Coconut
Coconut is an all-around superfood and probably one of the best things to eat regularly. Try coconut oils, coconut butter, coconut flakes, coconut milk and even coconut flour. Coconut is an excellent source of healthy fats, especially MCT (medium chain triglycerides). Coconut also contains healthy fiber which is excellent for stabilizing blood sugar when combined with other sources of carbs.

2. Turmeric
The compounds in turmeric have been shown to improve insulin sensitivity which allows the body to deliver glucose to cells more effectively and prevent massive fluctuations in the blood. Try to make Turmeric a stable of your diet. Furthermore, turmeric has been shown to act on the liver to regulate epigenetic (activation of genes) and enzymatic factors that all work together to stabilize blood sugar and triglyceride levels in people with diabetes.

3. Cinnamon
Cinnamon is an underrated superfood. Not only is it one of the most antioxidant-rich foods on the planet, but it tastes amazing and is excellent for stabilizing blood sugar. Cinnamon may also be helpful for fighting candida, which can be another consequence of a high sugar intake. Cinnamon improves insulin sensitivity and allows glucose to be transported from the blood and into the cells much more efficiently. There are generally two types of cinnamon that can be found in stores; cassia and Ceylon. Ceylon is considered to be more effective for stabilizing blood sugar. Additionally, Ceylon contains drastically lower amounts of a compound called coumarin, which is suspected to have undesirable effects on the liver when consumed in large amounts on a regular basis.

4. Raw Chocolate
Chocolate in its raw form is one of the most nutritious foods on the planet. It is packed with antioxidants, minerals like magnesium and chromium, and can even be a decent source of vitamin C. Chromium helps to improve the function of insulin to stabilize blood sugar and can also help reduce sugar cravings. The key here is to only buy raw chocolate or “cacao” as it would be written on the label. We need to ensure the highest nutrient density and therefore greatest potential for beneficial effects.

5. Organic Coffee
Coffee contains an impressive array of antioxidant compounds and nutrients that help to boost brain function, increase fat burning, and protect the body from a whole list of chronic diseases from heart disease to cancer. But, it must be high-quality organic coffee in moderate amount, 1-3 cups a day, preferably in the AM.

6. Green Tea
Don't like coffee? Try organic green tea. Green tea is loaded with its own array of powerful antioxidants that help to fight inflammation, cancer, and all-cause mortality. The primary active component that is thought to be responsible for these benefits is the compound call Epigallocatechin gallate. It can also improve fat burning and helps to stabilize blood sugar and can protect you from diabetes and heart disease. For the most concentrated benefits from green tea try matcha green tea.

7. Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar is a fairly cheap way of balancing blood sugar that can be used in many ways. It contains acetic acid which helps to control fluctuations in blood sugar when combined with meals. Additionally, using apple cider vinegar may improve fat burning, improve digestion, and reduce carbohydrate cravings. Try consuming a small amount of apple cider vinegar before meals or find ways to incorporate it into meals.

8. Lemons & Limes
Lemons and limes provide a blood sugar stabilizing effect due to their naturally occurring citric acid. Citric acid behaves similarly to acetic acid by helping to lower the glycemic load of meals.

9. Avocados
They are loaded with minerals, fiber, and healthy fats that all help to stabilize blood sugar levels. Avocados are also a significant source of B vitamins which are important for energy production. They contain a special type of sugar molecule called D-mannoheptulose. In fact, this type of sugar may actually have the ability to lower insulin levels.

10. Olives & Olive Oil
Olives and olive oil are an underestimated source of antioxidants that have been shown to protect the body from the damaging effects of diabetes such as neuropathy and heart disease. Additionally, olive oil contains oleocanthal which is a powerful anti-inflammatory that acts on the COX enzyme system that has been associated with helping to reduce cancer risk, heart disease, and many other chronic diseases.

11. Grass-Fed Butter
Not only does it provide many fat soluble nutrients and healthy fats, but it also contains powerful metabolism boosting nutrients, namely conjugated linoleic acid (CLA). CLA is a long-chain fatty acid that is much more concentrated in grass-fed dairy products. CLA has been found to improve insulin sensitivity and balance blood sugar.

12. Pasture-Raised Eggs
One of the most complete nutrient-dense foods you can eat. Additionally, eggs are a low-carb food so they have minimal impact on blood sugar. Pasture-raised eggs are also a good source of CLA, making them great for blood sugar control. Note: Some people can have sensitivities to eggs, which could cause a spike in blood sugar due to the release of cortisol.

It's important to control your blood sugar. Try to incorporate some of these foods into your daily diet.

Article source & references - click here.

Sprinting is one of the essential elements to leading an optimally fit life. When I say sprinting, I mean brief, explosive all-out sprints.
They are the single best activity to promote rapid reduction of excess body fat, achieve fitness breakthroughs, flood the bloodstream with anti-aging hormones like testosterone and human growth hormone, and boost neuron function in the brain.
Sprinting is a powerful hormetic stressor - a short, natural fight or flight stimulation triggering that renewal signal that makes you more resilient not just for your next sprint workout, but for all other forms of life stress.

Improving your sprint game can help you make an assortment of breakthroughs, from fat loss to fitness peak performance in a variety of activities, and generally making you a more confident, energetic person.

When you conduct an all-out sprint, you’re asking your body to perform at a level of metabolic function some 30 times greater than your resting output. Numerous studies have shown that sprinting skyrockets growth hormone levels quickly and reliably and boosts protein synthesis (muscle building or toning) by 230 percent.

If you want to get into sprinting, let's connect and I'll help you figure it out. You don't have to be a super athlete, anybody can learn how to sprint.

Here a brief outline on how a sprint routine could look like:

• Warm-up: 10 minutes of brisk walking/slow jogging. Maintain a heart rate well below aerobic maximum. Use this formula: “180 minus age” in beats per minute.
  
• Dynamic Stretching and Preparatory Drills: Complete 5 to 10 dynamic stretches, probably lasting about 7-10 minutes.
  
• Wind Sprints: Do 3 to 5 wind sprints where you move for about 10 seconds, but only 2 seconds are at speed.
  
• Sprint: Pick a fixed distance such as half of a football field or running track straightaway, knowing that it will take you about 10 seconds to complete. Conduct between 4 and 10 sprints, taking at least 50 seconds between sprints. Quit as soon as you notice any muscle tightness, breakdown in form, a slower than typical time for the same distance, or an increase in effort needed to achieve the same time.
  
• Cool Down: Start a gradual cool down consisting of 7 - 10 minutes of light jogging or brisk walking, maintaining a heart rate below “180 minus age.” At the end, you should stop sweating, have a normal respiration rate and a heart rate near normal. If you have trouble spots, injury concerns or a rehab protocol (make sure to get your doctor’s and physical therapist’s okay before incorporating a sprint routine!), conduct your static stretches and/or foam rolling after your cool down.
  
• Active Recovery: In the following 24 - 48 hours after your sprint workout, make a devoted effort to be more active than usual with increased walking (especially frequent work breaks), dynamic stretching, foam rolling and flexibility/mobility drills. It’s now clear that the most powerful recovery tool is simply movement.