Posts filed under 'Nutrition'
By Mark Young
Below are five things I think everyone needs to do. Some are related to looking good. Some are related to feeling good. Others are just related to staying alive (which is a real bonus if you’re going to do all that work to look and feel good). All in all, the thought process is pretty random, but if you’re not doing all of these things you need to start.
Eat Breakfast
You can’t start a fire without wood and you can’t start your metabolism without fuel. Skipping breakfast is the equivalent of failing to put a log on your metabolic fire. It just isn’t going to get started until you eat. What’s more important to note is that people who eat breakfast are less likely to be overweight and less likely to overeat later in the day. Ideally, breakfast would be a larger meal with meals actually tapering in size towards the end of the day.
Certainly there are those of you with excuses. Trust me, I’ve heard them all. But that doesn’t change the unalterable truth that unless you’re eating breakfast you’ll never have the body that you truly desire.
Start by eating something small within an hour of waking. Experience with hundreds of clients we’ve dealt with demonstrates that you will eventually become hungry in the morning and it will get easier.
Take Your Blood Pressure
Did you know that your blood pressure is a better predictor of cardiovascular health than your cholesterol numbers? In fact, high blood pressure does more damage to your arteries than cholesterol ever could on its own. For cholesterol to stick to your artery walls there needs to be damage and do you know where that damage comes from? Yep, you guessed it - high blood pressure.
And just in case you’re not worried about your heart, arterial damage can also affect your skin (giving you wrinkles), your eyes (giving you glaucoma), and even your parts south of the border (causing erectile dysfunction in men and loss of sensation in women).
An ideal blood pressure in the average healthy adult is 115/75. If yours is higher than this you need to do something about it as this is a MAJOR risk factor. But before you go racing to the doctor to get the latest and greatest medication consider whether you’re actually doing everything you can for your arterial health.
If your food choices are poor and you’re completely inactive you probably need to address this issue. Go get the meds if you need to, but don’t get too comfortable as these can’t stave off the effects forever. Start taking care of yourself and make it a concrete goal to get your blood pressure under control without the aid of drugs and you’ll live a healthier and happier life.
Floss Your Teeth
With all the tooth whitening products out there you’d suspect that many of those beautiful smiles would be healthy smiles, but unfortunately several of them aren’t.
Despite having brilliant looking pearly whites, many people fail to make the time to floss and this could end up being a fatal mistake. It appears that unless we take care of our gums we’re susceptible to bacterial infections causing gingivitis and other conditions. More importantly, people with these conditions are likely to experience artery damage as a result.
Scientists don’t know yet if the bacteria themselves get into the bloodstream and damage the arteries or if there is some other kind of low grade inflammatory response that affects them, but they do know that taking care of the gums reduces the risk.
Take the few seconds to floss your teeth and it might be a lifesaving experience.
Exercise a Minimum of 5 Hours Per Week
You’re busy aren’t you? In fact, you’re probably so busy that this seems to be a high price to pay for better health doesn’t it?
Well let me explain to you the most common scenario in North America to see if I can change your mind. And by the way, I’m not reading this from the statistics in a magazine either. These are the people we deal with every day.
Many people are inactive. They then become overweight or obese from being inactive. Carrying the extra weight puts excess strain on the body and they start to experience lower back, hip, or knee pain. Often they end up taking pain medication because they can’t handle the constant ache. Unfortunately, the pain leads to less movement and more weight gain resulting in Type II Diabetes. For this a doctor prescribes Metformin. In the same visit the doctor notices that the person’s blood pressure and cholesterol are sky high so they’re also now taking some form of blood pressure medication and a Statin like Lipitor for the cholesterol. The person finally decides to fight back and follows a severe diet program and loses weight rapidly only to regain it just as fast. Now they can’t lose weight for the life of them because their metabolism is shot from crash dieting, their whole body aches and they’re essentially a walking pharmacy. They’re completely depressed and their doctor has no other recourse, but to put them on antidepressants and possibly anti anxiety meds to help them relieve the stress. If they’re female the doctor will also probably suggest some calcium and vitamin D because their bones are becoming brittle from inactivity. Ultimately, they feel completely exhausted and defeated every day, they can’t look in a mirror much less shop for new clothes, and they feel that there is no hope. In essence, they’ve almost completely given up.
This is often when people finally come to us in search of one last chance to turn their lives around. If they’re not there yet, they’re usually at some place along that slippery slope and would eventually reach the endpoint given enough time.
The main point here is that all of this could have been averted if people had just made a little time each week for themselves to go out and exercise for just 45 minutes per day. In fact, just walking for 30 minutes per day is a great start.
Time might seem short with all of your work, family, and social obligations, but if you were to picture yourself in the place of the person at the end of the scenario above I guarantee you the price would not seem so high. If you can’t picture yourself there…just wait.
Inspect Your Private Parts
Many Cancers start in places that most people don’t like to talk about. Unfortunately, this often leads to lack of information on the topic and, sadly, many people die as a result of late detection. If you’re sensitive towards this topic you can skip the rest of this article. However, I’d suggest you forge forward as the information below might just save your life.
Women
It is well known that women should administer a self breast exam regularly to detect lumps that could be dangerous. However, it is less well known how often women actually do this. Because early detection is key to fast and effective treatment, make sure to do this on a monthly basis. If you think you’re not likely to remember just let your partner know that they can do it for you when they remind you it needs to be done. My guess is that you’ll never miss an exam again.
Some statistics suggest that at least 50% of sexually active women will contract human papillomavirus (HPV) at some time during their lives. Many scientists believe the number is even higher than that and that most women don’t know they have it. The biggest issue is that this can eventually lead to cervical Cancer and in most instances THERE ARE NO SYMPTOMS in the early stages. This is why it is so critical to get a pap smear annually after a woman becomes sexually active. Granted, this appointment probably won’t be your favourite day of the year, but it could be the most important day of your life.
Men
Remember when you were a teenager and your parents told you not to touch anything down there or you’d go blind? Well I’m here to give you outright permission to do just that. At least once a month it is imperative to check your testicles for lumps you don’t recognize. In fact, even if you don’t think you have any lumps it is important to get to know how things “should feel” so if you eventually do develop a lump you’ll recognize it as being out of place. If you do find something it is always better to get it checked out than to rationalize it away. Better safe than sorry. For the record, I don’t suggest using the same “ask your partner” strategy as I mentioned above for the breast exam. In this case, it might be a long time before you get your next exam.
Finally, the one test men don’t like to talk about - The prostate. The sound of a rubber glove snapping onto the hand of a doctor standing behind you is the stuff of nightmares to most men, but Cancer scares me MUCH more. In fact, prostate Cancer is the most common Cancer in Canadian men. It is estimated that in 2008 approximately 24,700 men will be diagnosed with prostate Cancer. So…as much as you hate it…every man over 45 (or 40 if your family has a history) should get a prostate exam annually. Don’t forget to ask for a PSA (prostate specific antigen) test while you’re at it. The manual prostate exam can sometimes miss things this test will pick up.
Summary
The main point is that the stuff I’ve written above are simple things that need to be done to keep you looking and feeling great while living a long and exciting life. Many of them only need to be done once yearly, monthly, or daily, but they’ll hardly take any more than a few minutes at a time (except for the 45 minutes of exercise daily…which really isn’t much time in the grand scheme of things).
If you’re looking for some small steps to take to get healthy…now you can start stepping.
October 28th, 2008
Are Supplements The Answer?
By Mark Young
Since I first started in the personal training industry my views on supplements have changed dramatically. Having come from a prestigious exercise metabolism research lab I knew that there was a lot of junk out there and I was always skeptical of the latest and greatest supplement on the market. I also knew that, although supplement companies do have independent labs research their products, they tend to change the wording to make it seem as though the product is better than it is.
For example, researchers might run a study and make the following conclusion:
Over 4 months the group that received the fat loss product managed to lose 1 pound while the group who did not only lost half a pound.
With a few small changes the marketing company runs this in a magazine:
In clinical research trials the group who took our product lost 100% MORE WEIGHT than the group who did not.
I’ve actually seen something like this done by one company who will remain nameless. Technically they’re not lying, but they aren’t exactly being totally transparent either. Would you spend $60-$80 per month to lose an extra half of a pound over the course of four months?!?
With that in mind I came up with three criteria to determine if a supplement might be of use to my clients.
1. Is there high quality published research done on the product? And more importantly, how many studies have been done?
Generally speaking, a single research study in isolation does not mean very much. Repeated studies with a similar result over the course of several years are a better indication of the effectiveness of a supplement.
2. Have I personally read this research?
As mentioned above, supplement companies tend to inflate the statements from research papers so you really can’t trust them too much. They’re in the business to make money and, in this case, truth doesn’t always sell the product.
More importantly, fitness experts who are genuinely trying to help the public are often forced to interpret articles that are beyond their scope of expertise. This information gets passed on and is sometimes taken as gospel by other professionals.
One such example is a popular study that concludes that taking amino acids (protein building blocks) and carbohydrates (sugar) before training has a greater muscle building effect than taking them after training.
You can read the study HERE.
Unfortunately, what many people miss is that one of the methods for measuring blood flow (an important factor in this study) is subject to errors and that the result is likely untrue.
In a later study the same group of researchers found that a whole protein (actually whey protein) taken before exercise was no better than when it was taken after exercise. In this case, it is possible that the blood flow measures were actually accurate and that would likely explain the difference in the outcome.
You can read this study HERE.
Of course, if you didn’t know what you were looking for you’d probably miss it. That’s why I like to read things for myself.
3. Is the supplement conducive to the goals of my client?
People often come in and ask if a certain supplement is good. My first question is always “good for what?”
While creatine might help you gain some strength and muscle size, it probably isn’t going to help you too much for fat loss so supplements have to be specifically chosen to help you reach your goals. No matter how well researched a supplement is, you have to make sure to choose the right one.
The Turning Point
For the earlier part of my career these rules served me fairly well, but one day a couple of years ago I was reading the newspaper when I read something that caused me to start thinking a little differently. That day a world renowned researcher was asked about the ultimate post-exercise recovery drink. His answer? “Chocolate Milk.”
At that moment it finally occurred to me that just because something works doesn’t mean that we should consume it. Granted, chocolate milk might make you gain some muscle, but I highly doubt that this is the type of nutrition our bodies were meant to consume.
Since that day I’ve slowly started to rethink my views on supplements, but it wasn’t until recently that I finally had a complete change of heart. As far as I can tell, there were two factors that pushed me over the edge.
First, my wife and I recently purchased a DVD of a seminar we once attended by a guy named Paul Chek. If you’ve never heard of him I would highly suggest you pick up his book How to Eat, Move and Be Healthy
. I strongly believe that this is one book that everyone should have in their library. Granted, the guy can be considered downright crazy sometimes, but at other times he’s a veritable genius. If you’re looking for top notch information on nutrition I promise you that this book will not disappoint.
Anyway, the seminar essentially reminded me of something I already knew, but Paul drove the point home with conviction. We can get everything in these supplements from food. Protein comes from meat and dairy. Creatine is from meat. Calcium comes from dairy. Vitamins come from almost every major food group. Fish oil is obviously from fish. Fiber comes from fruits, vegetables, legumes. Do we really need supplements?
The second factor sealed the deal for me. Recently my wife and I were invited to attend the Canadian Health Food Association expo at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. This event is primarily for retailers that are promoting health, but nothing could have prepared me for what I was about to see.
In the whole place with thousands of tables I only saw ONE full of fruits and vegetables and one other booth selling organic dairy. The rest of the “food” consisted primarily of microwavable organic dinners, organic chocolate pretzels, and other similar items. The remaining 50% of the booths were peddling various supplements, pills, and concoctions that were scientifically proven to build muscle, burn fat, improve health, and everything under the sun.
However, what hit me the hardest was that about 95% of the people selling and purchasing all of these items showed little to no evidence that they’d ever eaten a healthy food or exercised at all. At that moment I came to the firm conclusion that most people have no business at all using any form of supplement whatsoever.
Yep. I just said that. Unless your diet is 100% perfect and you’re performing a bare minimum of 5 hours of exercise per week you have not earned the right to take a supplement. Only after you have done this can you even CONSIDER it.
Granted, there are exceptions to the rule (i.e, cancer patients who are unable to eat or exercise), but you are most likely not one of them. Our bodies are meant to consume food not some gelatin encapsulated food substitute.
“But why is my trainer, chiropractor, gym selling this stuff to me if it doesn’t work?”
I’m not saying it doesn’t work. I’m just saying that food works the same way and our body is meant to process food. It is not meant to process a neon green energy drink or a synthetic protein substitute. Maybe they mean to help you, but they’re naively feeding your body unrecognizable chemicals.
Secondly, people sell this stuff because it is an additional revenue stream. As much as I hate to say it, there are people out there who would sell you anything as long as it put a dollar in their pocket. Not all people are trying to be malicious, but they could unknowingly be giving you something that is negatively affecting your health to make money to pay the rent.
“What about naturopaths?”
In my opinion, food should be the first course of action for anyone with the root word “nature” in the name of their chosen profession. While I genuinely believe that most naturopaths are sincerely trying to help you, I feel that many have been misguided. I would be apt to suggest trying food by itself first not in conjunction with supplementation to rectify any problems.
That said, if you’re taking more than two supplements I would highly suggest you revise your understanding of the word “natural”. Last time I checked, I didn’t see any untouched aboriginal tribes popping Centrum multivitamins in the morning.
In Conclusion
As with most things, the truth usually lies somewhere between the two extremes. While it might seem that I’m quite far on the anti-supplement side of the spectrum, I’m actually not totally averse to their use. In fact, in some cases a high quality protein supplement or nutrient replacement is warranted. The main point I’m trying to make here is that food and regular exercise should take precedence over anything that comes in a bottle. Only once you have completely mastered these two elements should supplementation be carefully considered.
Eat food. Be active. Become Healthy.
October 2nd, 2008
By Stacey Nolan Young
It’s arrived again. The dreaded end of your summer vacations quickly turn into the monotony of routine. The lines at the stores have diminished. There are no more people elbowing others out of their way to get the latest Hannah Montana pencil case. The shopping is complete. The schedules are in place. The school bus has been and gone. September has arrived. The kids are back in school. Gone are the lazy days wondering what to grill on the barbeque for your guests. Now you find yourself faced with a new dilemma.
What do I put in my child’s lunch box?
Of course, you could always fill your child up with the junk that the grocery stores carry packed “conveniently” into neat little packages. There are tons of options when it comes to snacks all wrapped up in bright packaging. Candy, crackers, cookies and bars are all around. You could do this but do you really want to?
To put it to you as real and honestly as I can, you are essentially poisoning your child by “providing” these options for them day after day. You are giving their little bodies foods that do not provide nourishment. That will not help them to grow up healthy and happy. You are teaching them unhealthy habits that they will take with them into adulthood. You are making them sick.
But what can you do when you lead a busy life and can’t spend all day cooking? I will provide you with some general rules to follow when it comes to packing a lunch for your child.
Rule #1 – Stay away from beige foods
School cafeterias are the worst for this. Have you ever noticed that most fast food is beige in colour? Think about it. Fast, fried foods are generally not very appealing to look at. Continued consumption of these foods makes the person ingesting them not very appealing to look at either. While it may be easy to throw in crackers, chips, bologna sandwiches on white bread and cookies in a lunch box you are definitely not doing your child any favours. In general avoid the beige foods.
Rule #2 – Balance the meal
Think about what you are packing for your children. Will they need snacks? Are they getting enough fruits and vegetables? Do they have a good mix of protein, fats and carbohydrates? Snacks should be healthy and nutritious. Some options for these would be fruits, cut up vegetables, yogurt, cottage cheese or a small amount of nuts.
As for the lunch meal, be sure to balance this. A sandwich or wrap would work great. Choose healthy starches like whole grain breads. Make sure the sandwich contains a lean protein source like tuna, chicken or turkey breast. Add lettuce, pickles, tomatoes and as many veggies as you want to it. Mustard is a great condiment. An apple, pear or orange compliments the meal. Add a bottle of water and your child now has the required nutrients and energy in order to focus for the rest of the day. Poor eating habits and lack of nutrition play an important role in kids performing inadequately in school.
Rule #3 – Batch Cook
Snacks are nice and easy to pack in your child’s lunch. Fruits generally come as they are and you can throw them into a lunch box without difficulty. Same goes with yogurt and nuts. As for the sandwich you do have to put it together. It may be a good idea to spend a couple of hours on the weekend preparing your child’s food for the week. This takes away the scrambling around that goes on each morning trying to throw things together. Grill up a bunch of chicken breasts while you have a turkey breast roasting in the oven. Cut up your chicken and turkey into slices and place in Tupperware containers. Leave enough out in the fridge for two days. Freeze the rest.
While everything is cooking grab your veggies from the fridge and cut them up. Place them in a bowl filled with water in your fridge so they are accessible to you in the morning to place in a container and put in that lunch box.
Lunch meats are not the ideal food item to feed to your children because of the processing and the harmful nitrates in them but these can be a valid option if you are in a bind. There is no reason to have to turn to “Lunchables” if you were too busy to prepare.
***NOTE FOR THOSE IN SOUTHERN ONTARIO***
You’d have to be living in a box not to know about the recent outbreak of listeriosis and its link to Maple Leaf Foods. If you are afraid of this for your kids then by all means do not buy cold meats. That would be preferable for health anyway. BUT do not get so afraid of these possibilities that you cut out meat altogether. If your concerns are grave then why not opt for organic? Yes it is more expensive but what would you pay to keep your child healthy? There are options other than processed foods out there.
Rule #4 – Stay away from daily sweets
I’m not saying to never treat your kids. I know very well that the majority of children at school will have unhealthy items in their lunches. Therefore I do know how most children will react if their own lunches changed dramatically while they could still see what their friends are eating. I realize that this would be difficult for them and that you would hear about it. I also realize that you cannot control what happens once your child leaves your sight.
The occasional treat will make your child happy. That said there are ways to make even these options healthier. Cut up fruit like pineapple and strawberries is a great treat for kids. Make cookies from whole grain flour. Be conscious of what goes into your child’s mouth. If you can’t pronounce the ingredients on the label then it probably shouldn’t enter their bodies.
Rule #5 – Don’t pack calorie containing beverages
This is as simple as it sounds. The majority of the population does not drink near enough water. This is something that is learned from childhood. To get your child healthy pack a bottle of water instead of a juice box in their lunch bag. While some juice contains nutrients they also contain a lot of sugar. Give your child whole fruit instead. Pop should never be consumed by anyone. It is simply void of any kind of nutrition whatsoever and it is chalk full of sugar. For example one can of Pepsi contains 41 grams or roughly 10 teaspoons of sugar!
Rule #6 – Involve your child
I don’t know how many times I’ve heard people tell me “But they won’t eat anything healthy! All they’ll eat is…” I have the same answer now that I always have. If you give your child the option to eat a carrot or a cookie then most often they will choose the cookie. Take the option away. Your child will not starve. They will eventually eat what you provide.
The best and most effective way to get a child to eat something that is new to them is to get them involved in the process. Cook with them. Have them help you prepare the food. If they feel a sense of accomplishment and know that they had a part in it then they are much more likely to try it. As a bonus they get a lesson in self sufficiency and when they are old enough to live on their own perhaps they won’t live off of popcorn and KD.
As responsible parents we do have a duty to make sure that our children are healthy and happy. There is an obesity epidemic in North America and more and more children are having the health problems that people experience in their later years. There are things that we can do to prevent this from happening to our kids. Take my advice above and you take steps to stop this wave from touching your life.
”What a child doesn’t receive he can seldom later give.” ~P.D. James
September 10th, 2008
This GRAIN of Truth Equals a WHOLE Lot of Confusion
By Stacey Nolan Young
Remember when every health expert was touting whole wheat over refined “white” products? We all know that choosing whole wheat bread over white bread is better for us. We know that whole wheat is richer in dietary fibre, antioxidants, dietary minerals and vitamins than refined products. We know that choosing these healthier carbohydrates can lower the risk of diseases like coronary heart disease, some forms of cancer, gum disease, digestive system diseases, diabetes and obesity.
But wait a second, what about whole grain? And come to think of it there is cracked wheat, multigrain, stone-ground, pumpernickel, 100% whole wheat and rye. I’m confused! Which one should I chose? And what is the difference?
What is a whole grain?
When wheat is harvested it includes the bran (the outer protective shell), the germ (the part that provides nourishment for the seed), and the endosperm.
Whole grains are defined as cereal grains that retain the bran, germ and the endosperm. Refined grains only retain the endosperm. Here’s where it gets confusing. Whole wheat CAN be whole grain. But sometimes it isn’t. Have I piqued your interest? Great so pay attention. Not only do you have to read the packaging to pick out what you’d like but it turns out that you should read the actual ingredients on the package.
Why should I read the ingredients?
Because there are many “terms” utilized on packaging that can be misleading. Here are a few examples:
-whole grain
-100% wheat
-contains whole grain
-made with whole wheat
-multigrain
-wheat flour
-stone ground
Many “whole wheat” breads are coloured brown to trick you into believing that these are whole grain products. If you see molasses on the ingredient list, beware. This is used as a colouring agent. A product can also claim its “whole grain health” when only part of the product uses whole grain. For example the first ingredient may be grain while the second is whole grain. This means that the product may only contain between 1-49% of whole grain.
Now for the shocker…
In Canada it is legal to advertise any food product as whole wheat with up to 70% of the germ removed! In essence what you are eating as “whole grain” may be misleading. You may feel like you are making a better choice but in fact, you are not. One of the reasons that companies do this is because of cost. Whole grain products are more expensive because of their high oil content. There are complications with processing, storage and transportation because the product is susceptible to spoiling.
What SHOULD I be looking for?
Check the ingredients list despite what it may claim on the front of the packaging. Canadian consumers can be assured of whole grain quality by a label stating “100% whole grain whole wheat” as the FIRST ingredient listed. This may be followed up with “including the germ”. And beware of the lower calorie breads, pitas and wraps. Generally speaking whole grain products will be a bit higher in calories than more refined products.
So no matter which type of bread you choose (i.e. pumpernickel, whole wheat, multigrain) you want to carefully examine the ingredients to make sure that the product you are choosing is the one that you actually want.
May 28th, 2008
By Stacey Nolan Young
Each and every day we are bombarded with images, advertisements and labels that tell us what is healthy and what is not. It doesn’t matter that a lot of the information contradicts each other. “Go to a grocery store and choose Blue Menu” items.” “Want to lose weight? Why not try some Lean Cuisine?” And my favourite advancement is all of the “100 Calorie snack packs” These must be healthy. They must be good for you. I mean, imagine losing weight while eating Doritos, Oreos and mini-chocolate bars!
Advertising has such an impact on our daily lives. It can control how we feel about products. Most of us do not have the time or inclination to research everything that we hear. So we buy it hook, line and sinker. But what if we’re wrong?
This has always been the case. Check out this ad from the 1930’s which touts smoking as the “recommended” thing to do by DOCTORS!
Obviously, we now know how terrible smoking is for your health. But back then, smoking advertisements were in abundance. They even had smoking ads that featured Santa Claus! And doctors were endorsing the habit. The same doctors that were telling women that douching with Lysol would help their marriages! Seriously. Go ahead. Google it. I know you want to.
How about lard? We know that it is not the healthiest of choices. While conventional lard is mostly saturated fat, most commercial varieties can contain unhealthy trans fats. But what about then? How was it perceived?
That’s correct. Yes - they are very happy because they eat lard. Lard will make you happy. It will make your spirits soar. It will make family time that much more enjoyable. It is the answer to everything. Feel depressed? Eat Lard.
Give me a break!!!
Something very popular today is fad diets and our obsession with weight loss. People tend to want the quick fix. This has always been the case and even back then. Don’t believe me?
Yes - what you are reading is correct. This is an ad for tape worms. Ladies, good news! You don’t have to exercise. You don’t have to diet. You can eat, eat, eat whatever you want and not gain a pound. Better yet you will waste away. Nutrients? Not to worry - you don’t need those! The tape worms will take them for you. I mean the ad does say “No Ill Effects”, they are “sanitized” and for your convenience they are packed in jars. Ignore your hair falling out and your skin sagging and becoming sallow. The important thing to remember is that you will be thin with absolutely no work. Magic. This MUST be true.
Let’s take this to modern times. While we can look at these ads and find them ridiculous now, what about today’s advertisements and labels? In 70 year will we find them equally as ridiculous? Will we wonder “what were we thinking?”
That seems to be the problem. We are not thinking. We let the media and companies trying to sell their products think for us. Isn’t there a voice in the back of our minds that questions some of these claims? Perhaps we should listen to it once in awhile.
Take those 100 calorie snack packs that I spoke of above for example:
Okay so these were not “healthy” before in the larger packaging but suddenly they are because they’ve been placed in smaller packages? In an effort to try and control the ever growing population of over weight people and their “bad snacking” habits, many companies have come up with these overpriced mini-packs of the same snacks that are creating unhealthy lifestyles. And people are buying them up! These companies have no interest in seeing people healthy. They just want “in” on the “health crazed” market as well. They call it “sensible snacking.” Really? Are Chips Ahoy and Fruit Snacks REALLY good for you?
What about some of those items that tell you that they are healthy on their labels?
Last time I checked, cookies weren’t the healthiest of choices. Sure - if I planned a “cheat meal” I would definitely consider eating them. But I do know that this is not a good choice for me. This particular company claims that these are good for you and are a healthier choice. Yummy. Oatmeal Double Chocolate Cookies are good for me. Wow.
In the smaller print you will find out that each cookie is 150 calories! For 10 calories more you can eat 3 Oreo cookies! (Not that I’m recommending that)
How about those foods that label themselves as “fat free”. That cake pictured above claims to be fat free. I guess it’s alright to consume now, isn’t it? Oh but wait. What about carbohydrates? And sugars? Don’t these impact our health in a negative way?
Just because something claims to be “fat free” does not mean it’s good for you. In fact, I would argue that fats are a necessary part of our diets. It all comes down to the fats that you choose. As Mark Young wrote in this article, gas is fat free. Point proven.
The truth is that you need to actually look at the labels on your food. Not the front of the package with its splash of colours claiming that it does this or that for you. Read the ingredients. A general rule would be if you can’t pronounce the names of the ingredients, you probably shouldn’t put it into your mouth. Also - ask yourself if it is going to nourish your body if you eat it. Question things. Maybe what we think now won’t be laughed at in years to come if we do these things.
April 16th, 2008
1. The Sea Salt Test
Recently salt has been totally demonized by the media. In fact, they go as far as to blame salt consumption for the epidemic of high blood pressure in North America. In all honesty, salt probably doesn’t help the problem, but it most definitely isn’t the sole contributor. Could it be that being overweight from inactivity and poor diet plays a role too? Nah…it must be the salt. After all, North Americans need a scapegoat.
In any case, salt does play important roles in the body and it does not need to be totally eliminated. However, the source of the salt does matter. Most salt sold in grocery stores is completely devoid of nutritional value so you might as well use it to salt your icy driveway. Real sea salt, which is usually grayish in colour, is packed with 84 valuable elements that are stripped from our conventional table salt.
To determine if your salt is worthy of consumption try this test I learned from personal trainer Brendan Fox.
Stir a spoonful of salt into a glass and leave it overnight. If you find the salt settled at the bottom the next morning your salt has been processed. If there is no salt at the bottom of your glass, your salt is unprocessed.
If your salt is processed it will accumulate in your body much as it did in the glass. If the salt is real unprocessed sea salt it will stay in solution and your body can effectively eliminate it after it has served its purpose.
2. At some point, your parents will pass away. Treasure the times you have with them. You probably won’t appreciate this advice until it’s too late.
3. A good plan violently executed now is better than a perfect plan executed next week. - George S. Patton
Most people put off their plan until next Monday when everything will be exactly right. The bad news is that no weight loss plan is ever exactly right. Start the journey TODAY…no matter what day it is.
4. The value of chiropractic care is highly underrated.
For some unknown reason people fear chiropractors. This could be partially because many medical doctors denounce the use of chiropractic care, while they continue to dole out muscle relaxants, pain killers, and even harmful cortisone injections. I guess this shouldn’t surprise me because they actually make money each time you visit them. Why on earth would they want you to visit someone else?
In their defense, there are many doctors who have been brainwashed (just like the public) into thinking chiropractors practice some kind of voodoo medicine or that it is dangerous. They probably think they’re doing you a service by telling you not to go, but most are commenting on something they know very little about.
Sometimes people tell me that they’ve heard something terrible that happened when someone they knew went to a chiropractor so they’d NEVER visit one.
To me this is faulty logic.
First, medical doctors are responsible for the death of plenty of people each year. You probably still go to a doctor don’t you?
Second, just because one chiropractor is a quack doesn’t mean they all are. It’s like this in any profession. There are a few who are complete garbage, most are average, and a small minority are excellent. You just need to seek out the ones at the top of their game.
I also think most people are just a little freaked out about the idea of being “cracked”. The truth is that while most chiropractors still offer adjustments, the best ones usually have several methods of treatment available. Many have ultrasound, cold laser, active release therapy, and acupuncture.
I was once told by a chiropractor friend of mine that “If the only tool you have in your toolbox is a hammer, everything starts to look like a nail.” This is why most old school chiropractors just did adjustments. That’s all they had.
Having more tools allows for better treatment of soft tissue injuries and joint pain caused by soft tissue problems. I’ve personally had several issues treated over the years where no manipulation was necessary. If you’re uncomfortable with it, just let them know and a good chiro will respect it.
In the end, if you’re in pain give a good chiropractor a fair shake. It probably isn’t going to be fixed in one visit, but after a few visits you should feel some relief. Whatever the case, you need not be afraid. Get over your chirophobia! It might just be one of the best things you’ll ever do for your body.
5. I hate excuses.
When it comes to fitness and weight loss someone can only give you the tools. You have to bring your own motivation. Do it or don’t. I don’t have time for excuses. There is always someone who has it much worse than you do who is making it happen.
6. If your goal is to be fit and healthy your exercise program should include:
Tissue quality work
Mobility work
Resistance training
Core work
Static stretching
Cardiovascular exercise
If you don’t know what these things are or how to implement them get the help of a fitness professional.
March 26th, 2008
Most of us are aware that olive oil has some fantastic health benefits. However, you’d be hard pressed to find olive oil as the main ingredient in any store bought salad dressing.
Seriously. Give this a try.
Instead, most salad dressings are made with canola oil. Despite the relatively high amount of healthy Omega 3 fats found in the unrefined version of canola oil, processing typically removes them to preserve shelf life.
Since Omega 3s tend to degrade when exposed to heat and light, leaving them unrefrigerated on a shelf in a clear plastic bottle would allow them to go rancid. They need to be refined to allow the product to last longer. The result is a lower grade processed oil without the beneficial properties initially touted as part of the reason for choosing canola oil in the first place.
Instead, you’d be better off to use extra virgin olive oil to create your own salad dressings. Unlike canola oil, extra virgin olive oil is a heart healthy monounsaturated fat. There are no Omega 3s so there is no risk of spoilage and it does not have to be refined. In fact, the words “extra virgin” mean that the product has not been processed.
In place of commercial salad dressings you can just whip up a couple batches of simple olive oil dressings to keep handy at home. Store them in containers to be used conveniently whenever needed.
Balsamic Vinaigrette
1 part balsamic vinegar
1 part extra virgin olive oil
Add a little basil, oregano, and sea salt if desired
Raspberry Vinaigrette
2 parts raspberry vinegar
1 part extra virgin olive oil
Splenda or Stevia to taste
Bon appetite!
January 9th, 2008
I have an amazing superpower. I can’t fly, run at the speed of light, or shoot laser beams out of my eyes, but when it comes to fitness I do have an uncanny ability to tell people the truth whether they want to hear it or not.
Now this might not seem like much of a superpower, but in the world of health and fitness it might as well be because nobody else seems to have it. Companies everywhere will tell people exactly what they want to hear to sell their products and usually it’s a load of B.S.
In this relatively lengthy article I’m about to unleash my powers in all of their glory on the breakfast cereal industry.
Beware of the Cereal Killer
First, I should start by saying that I think almost all breakfast cereals are total crap. With the selection available out there you’d think that there would be more truly healthy cereals but, as you’ll see, the options are exceptionally limited.
In this article I’ll compare some popular “healthy” cereals with the only two cereals that officially receive my stamp of approval. Before we start though, I want to cover a few things that we’ll be looking at when it comes to comparing the different candies…I mean cereals. I may not discuss each issue for each cereal, but it is important that you’re aware they exist.
Serving Size
For the purposes of this article I’ll be comparing all cereals based on weight instead of actual amount of cereal. When comparing any product you should always be conscious the serving size as this can make them difficult to compare.
Have you ever had a something in your hand and tried to calculate the total number of calories for the entire bag. On most items it requires nothing short of an advanced degree in mathematics to figure it out. This isn’t an accident.
Calories
This isn’t the only consideration, but when comparing cereals, the lower the calorie count the better the cereal is likely to be.
Fat & Protein
Since most cereals contain negligible amounts of both fat and protein neither one really warrants any concern in this comparison.
Carbohydrates
When it comes to breakfast cereals, there are three different kinds of carbohydrates to observe.
- Dietary Fiber –
Other than taking potentially harmful Statin type medications like Liptor and Crestor, increasing your intake of dietary fiber is one of the very best things you can do to reduce your cholesterol.
If this isn’t an issue for you, consider that fiber is also a great way to keep yourself regular and reduce constipation instead of consuming things like Dannon’s Activia yogurt that contains as much as 17 grams of sugar per serving.
Since fiber is not digested it can be subtracted from the total carbohydrate count as it has little impact on blood sugar and fat storage. My general rule is that if you’re cereal doesn’t contain AT LEAST 7 grams of fiber per serving its glorified candy. For our clients we require 10 grams per serving or more.
- Sugar –
This one is pretty obvious. The less sugar your cereal has, the better. However, you should also pay attention to where the sugar comes from.
High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) has become a popular sweetener in North America as tariffs on sugar (which we have to import) have made it more cost effective to use corn (which we can grow here).
Unfortunately, fructose sticks to red blood cells through a process called glycation which can be particularly dangerous for diabetics. In non-diabetics fructose increases triglycerides and some have proposed that it is more responsible for obesity than sugar. Be cautious. Companies are now aware that people are avoiding high fructose corn syrup so they list it on the label as glucose-fructose instead.
- Other Carbohydrates –
Usually the term “other” refers to starch. Starch is another type of carbohydrate that doesn’t fit neatly into either of the other categories. Unlike fiber it does not pass undigested and it does affect blood sugar levels and fat storage.
The sum of these three types of carbohydrates should always equal the total amount of carbohydrates listed on the box.
Glycemic Index
The glycemic index (GI) is a measure of how rapidly the carbohydrates (both sugar and starch) in your food reach your bloodstream. Usually sugar is assigned an arbitrary value of 100 and everything else is compared to this.
A high number (closer to 100) means that the carbohydrate enters the blood very quickly. When the carbohydrate enters the blood faster than the body can burn it off it is stored as fat. Of course, if you don’t burn it off it will stay there patiently waiting until you do.
Foods with a lower GI allow carbohydrates enter the bloodstream at a more manageable rate. The body is usually more equipped to deal with this and most are burned off. Few, if any, of the carbohydrates are converted and stored as fat.
The First Three
With the number of ingredients on the label these days you could easily spend hours trying to figure everything out. My suggestion is to quickly look at the first three ingredients. Some things will immediately jump out at you as unhealthy and since they make up the bulk of your food item you might want to put it back on the shelf.
Let’s get down to business. The cereal assassin is on the attack.
Special K
31g (1 Cup) Serving
Calories: 120
Fat: 0.5g
Carbohydrates: 22g
Dietary Fiber: Less than 1 gram
Sugar: 4g
Other Carbohydrates: 18g
Protein: 7g
First Three Ingredients: Rice, wheat gluten, sugar
Calories – Of the four cereals reviewed here, Special K has the highest calorie count at 100 calories per serving which is actually 10 calories more than a serving of Lucky Charms.
Fiber – With less than 1 gram of fiber Special K falls directly into the glorified candy category. It offers no specific health or weight loss benefits in this regard.
Glycemic Index – Special K has a glycemic index of 69 which classifies it as a medium GI food. This means that the carbohydrates enter the blood at a moderate rate and that the body can deal with some of them. The rest are stored as fat.
First Three – Part of the reason for the higher glycemic index of Special K is the first ingredient, rice. White rice has a particularly high GI which is why Rice Krispies have a glycemic index of 82. The added sugar probably isn’t doing wonders for your health or your waistline either. Wheat gluten is sticky and is probably used as a binder while making the flakes.
Cheerios
28g (1 Cup) Serving
Calories: 100
Fat: 2g
Carbohydrates: 20g
Dietary Fiber: 1g
Sugar: 1g
Other Carbohydrates: 16g
Protein: 3g
First Three Ingredients: Whole grain oats, modified corn starch, sugar
Calories – Cheerios have less calories than Special K, but still more than the other two cereals listed below.
Fiber – Having only 1 gram of fiber Cheerios sit right alongside Special K in the category of over-processed candy.
Glycemic Index – Cheerios have a glycemic index of 74 which puts them in the high GI category above Special K. This means that the carbohydrates enter the blood rapidly and that the body can’t deal with them very well at all. Much of what is ingested could potentially be stored as fat.
First Three – While General Mills has made claims that the whole grain oats in their breakfast cereals can reduce cholesterol, it is important to note that it is the soluble fiber in the oats that is actually responsible for the heart healthy effects. As noted above, Cheerios is woefully low in fiber and how the government actually lets them get away with these claims is beyond me. Since oats don’t contain gluten and don’t bind well the corn starch is most likely a thickener and binder. The sugar is obviously just for taste and it falls within the top three ingredients which means it accounts for a large proportion of what is inside the box.
All Bran Original
31g (1/2 Cup) Serving
Calories: 80
Fat: 1g
Carbohydrates: 23g
Dietary Fiber: 10g
Sugar: 6g
Other Carbohydrates: 7g
Protein: 4g
First Three Ingredients: Wheat bran, sugar, high fructose corn syrup
Calories – All Bran Original has less calories than the other two cereals already listed so we’re on our way to a better choice already.
Fiber – In a single serving you’ll get 10 times more fiber than you’ll get in a bowl of Special K or Cheerios. Keep in mind that most of the fiber in All Bran is insoluble which means that it is excellent for digestive health and keeping you regular.
Glycemic Index – The glycemic index for All Bran is 50 which makes it a low GI food and an excellent breakfast option. Most, if not all, of the carbohydrates can be managed by the body and little fat storage should result.
First Three – Wheat bran is solely responsible for the high fiber content of All Bran and will do wonders to restore regularity to a clogged up digestive system. Sadly, the second and third ingredients are high fructose corn syrup and sugar which we know we should limit. Despite this obvious downfall, All Bran is still a better option than both Special K and Cheerios due to its low calorie count, large amount of fiber, and low glycemic index.
I should note here that the above statements only refer to All Bran Original. Flakes don’t cut it as they only have 5 grams of fiber. All Bran buds with Psyllium have additional soluble fiber which helps battle cholesterol. If you’re taking cholesterol lowering medication you might want to make this cereal part of your breakfast routine.
Fiber One
30g (1/2 Cup) Serving
Calories: 60
Fat: 1g
Carbohydrates: 25g
Dietary Fiber: 14g
Sugar: 0g
Other Carbohydrates: 11g
Protein: 2g
First Three Ingredients: Corn bran, whole grain wheat, wheat bran
Calories – Fiber One has only 50 percent of the calories found in Special K and is the lowest calorie cereal in our comparision.
Fiber – With the exception of All Bran no “healthy cereal” mentioned above can even come close to the 14 grams of fiber packed in to Fiber One cereal.
Glycemic Index – According to many resources Fiber One is classified as a low GI food although the absolute value is never given. With the high amount of fiber and absolutely no sugar it only makes sense that this is the case.
First Three – Corn bran, whole grain wheat, and wheat bran are all excellent sources of dietary fiber. In fact, the whole ingredient list is free of any added sugars which makes Fiber One the best breakfast cereal yet.
Again, I should point out that the points above do not refer to the other flavoured versions of Fiber One that are now available.
The Survivors
After the superpowers have been unleashed and the cereal massacre is over only two breakfast cereals remain.
Despite a few of the ingredients All Bran Original still makes the cut as one of our recommended cereals. However, Fiber One is currently at the top of the healthy breakfast cereal category and this should be the selection of anyone who really wants to make drastic changes in their physique.
Of course, you’re probably thinking that both of these cereals look like little rabbit poops in a bowl. Perhaps you’re right. The transition from candy-like breakfast cereals to high fiber cereals is a tough one, but after getting used to it you’ll be glad you did. Your body and your bowels will thank you for it.
September 14th, 2007
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