 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.
Other Great Benefits of a Personal Trainer that your employees could benefit from:
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.
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 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:
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 Specific means you've targeted a precise area for improvement. Example:
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:
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:
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:
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:
And here a great list to create opportunities to laugh
No go out and laugh, have fun, life is not that serious. Sources:  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.
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:
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:
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:
High in soluble fiber veggies, but lower in insoluble fiber (and thus tend to be safer for those with gut issues) include:
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:
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:
 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:
Healing animal fats:
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:
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.   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 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:
 I listened to a great podcast the other day about why we're not burning fat the way we'd like. You may know this but I'll mention it here again, fat is primarily disposed of via the breath. Calories, as well as excess carbs and proteins, are converted into triglycerides and stored in lipid droplets of adipocytes.
Here are a few reasons why you may not burn fat:
If you want to listen to the entire podcast, here is the source - click here.  Key Contributors to Inflammation Inflammation is a vital part of our immune response. It is the body’s way of healing itself after an injury, repairing damaged tissue, and defending itself against pathogens. Looking at is from that way, inflammation is advantageous. But, inflammation can also be damaging to your health. Learning what causes inflammation can help you protect yourself. There are two types of inflammation, acute and chronic.
An inflammatory diet, blood sugar imbalances, and leaky gut syndrome can cause chronic inflammation. Sleep loss, chronic stress, environmental toxins, and chronic infections are added factors that can lead to chronic inflammation. It is vital to understand and address these factors to attain optimal health. 8 WAYS CHRONIC INFLAMMATION CAN DAMAGE YOUR BODY
Here are seven leading factors that can cause inflammation in the body. Many of these causes are related to diet and lifestyle and can be modified.
 For a complete list of references and more in-depth details, go to the article source - Click Here
 SSB - Sugar-Sweetened Beverage
Have you ever wondered what that sugary beverage can do to you and your health? This study published at JAMA (link below) is very interesting. Titled "Association of Sugary Beverage Consumption With Mortality Risk in US Adults". Here some details from the study: The research has linked sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) consumption to coronary heart disease (CHD) risk, but the role of nutritionally similar fruit juice and the association of these beverages with mortality risk is unknown. Study's Objective: To assess the association of SSBs and 100% fruit juices, alone and in combination (sugary beverages), with mortality. Study's Results: The findings of this study suggest that higher consumption of sugary beverages, including fruit juices, among older adults is associated with increased all-cause mortality. The metabolism of fructose, which is unique from all other sugars, occurs unregulated and almost exclusively in the liver. Fructose consumption is known to alter blood lipid levels, markers of inflammation and blood pressure, while high glucose consumption has been associated with insulin resistance and diabetes, independent of weight status. Fructose consumption may also stimulate a hormonal response that promotes fat deposition centrally. Greater central adiposity is a long-recognized cardiovascular disease risk factor. In addition, research suggests that calories consumed in liquid form can increase obesity risk owing to an incomplete compensation for the calories they contain. Source: Jama Network How Exposure to Blue Light Affect Your Brain & Body By disrupting melatonin, smartphone light, TV screens and computer monitors can ruin sleep schedules. This can lead to all kinds of health issues. Among these issues are:
Check out the image below for more potential risks of blue light. Source: Harvard Health Publication   Exercise Alone is Almost Useless for Weight Loss
Hear me out. The benefits of exercise are real. Don't get me wrong. While exercise can lead to modest weight loss, it can have a range of health benefits, including reducing blood pressure and triglycerides in your blood. Exercise reduces the risk of Type 2 diabetes, stroke, and heart attack. A number of studies have also shown that people who exercise are at a lower risk of developing cognitive impairment from Alzheimer's and dementia. They also score higher on cognitive ability tests. If you've lost weight, exercise can also help weight maintenance when it's used along with watching calorie intake. Very simplistically put, a pound of human fat represents about 3,500 calories. Therefore, cutting 500 calories per day, through diet or physical activity, can result in about a pound of weight loss per week. Now that's VERY simplistic. The human energy balance as "a dynamic and adaptable system", but when you alter one component, let's say cutting the number of calories you eat in a day to lose weight, doing more exercise than usual, it can set off a cascade of changes in the body that affect how many calories you use up and, in turn, your body-weight. The 80/20 rule applies to exercise as much as it applies to many other things in live. Only about 20% of total energy expenditure come from exercise. Roughly 70% are used via basal metabolism - energy used for basic body functions at rest and about 10% are used to metabolize food. The rest, about 20%, is used up via physical activity. Which is not nothing, but it's definitely not a major part of weight loss. Now, exercise can undermine weight loss in other subtle ways. How much you move is connected to how much you eat. Calories in and calories out are not independent of each other. If you exercise a lot, you might consume more calories than you burned off. Therefore, watch what you eat after an intensive workout. One slice of pizza could undo the calories burned in an hour's workout. There may also be an upper limit of energy expenditure via exercise. After a certain amount of exercise, you might don't burn calories at the same rate anymore - total energy expenditure can eventually plateau. One more thing…don't be fooled by the food & beverage industry. They keep telling us to "move more" while selling their sugar-loaded products. You just can't outrun a bad diet. We're losing the obesity battle because we're eating too much, and too much of the bad, processed stuff. Physical activity is vital to health, YES, but paying close attention to what you eat & drink IS MUCH more effective for losing weight. As the article states: "But this focus on calories out, or the calories we can potentially burn in exercise, is an inadequate and a potentially dangerous approach, because it is liable to encourage people to ignore or underestimate the greater impact of energy-in, an obesity doctor and professor wrote in the journal Public Health Nutrition." If you'd like to figure your challenges out, let's connect! Article source - click here. Want to work your shoulders, lats, legs and arms? Interested in a quick and intensive full-body workout without the drama? Want to dramatically improve your grip strength? Here you go! 4 options for some fun workouts. Get yourself a Steel Mace and work it. Enjoy! If you like what you see - connect with us.
If you need help - connect with us. If you want to figure your workout, nutrition or overall lifestyle out - connect with us.  Why should we drink plenty of water? How can water affect our bodies? Check the list below to find out what happens when you don't drink enough water - get dehydrated:
6 items that decrease as a result of dehydration
4 items increase as a result of dehydration
2 items are retained as a result of dehydration
How much water should you drink then? It all depends. Adequate hydration before, during, and after exercise is very important. Remember, the body cannot adapt to dehydration, which impairs every physiologic function. Some studies have shown that a fluid loss of even 2% of body weight will adversely affect circulatory functions and decrease performance levels. A good general guideline is: Sedentary men and women should consume on average 3.0 L (approximately 13 cups) and 2.2 L (approximately 9 cups) of water per day, respectively. This is a generalized guideline and should be adjusted based on activity level. If you're trying to lose weight, try to drink an additional 8 ounces of water for every 25 pounds carried above ideal weight. Also, try to consume about 14 to 22 ounces of fluid 2 hours before exercise and drink 6 to 12 ounces of fluid for every 15 to 20 minutes of exercise. And finally, if you work out hard, drink 16 to 24 ounces of fluid for every pound of body weight you lost after an exercise. Cheers.  Below are 5 simple tips and suggestions on how to get your diet dialed in. Clean eating habits with lots of unprocessed, real and natural foods is key to great health. Add 20 to 30 min of exercise to your daily routine and you should be on your way to a healthier you!
I believe that you should always be aware of what you eat. This means, again, staying away from all processed foods that are loaded with additives, harmful chemicals, and genetically engineered ingredients that could put your health at risk. Below a visual of this somewhat reversed Food Pyramid. Courtesy of Dr. Mercola's website:  |
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