Category: Supplements (Page 16 of 17)

Shake it up

May 15, 2007 / Anthony Stalter

Whether its work, school or children, outside factors can get in the way of healthy eating. You hear that six meals a day is the optimal for a healthy body, but as the hours in a day tick by, sometimes you might feel it’s impossible to even sit down and eat three times a day. With that said, a blender can be just as valuable in your kitchen as the burners on your stove.

Don’t underestimate the power shakes and smoothies can have on your diet. For one, they’re obviously quicker to make than cooking an entire meal. Saving time is usually what most people strive for and blending up a smoothie can take less than three minutes. Another benefit of shakes and smoothies is the amount of power-packed food you can put in them. Healthy diary products such as milk and yogurt, protein powders, peanut butter, and healthy carbs like fruit and oatmeal are all items you can whip up into not only a tasty meal, but a healthy and quick one too. Finally, shakes and smoothies fill up your stomach so you feel full longer and have the energy to stave off hunger until your next meal.

Here’s a recipe for a healthy smoothie packed with good carbs and protein. Feel free to change the serving sizes as you wish:

– Blend three ice cubes
– 1 Cup Frozen Mixed Berries
– 1 Cup oatmeal (you don’t have to cook it)
– 1 Container of yogurt (get a yogurt low in sugar)
– 1 Cup milk
– Blend on high until all the ingredients are mixed

Feel free to add a scoop of whey protein to insure you’re getting enough daily protein for those working out.

Diets, Drinks, Food preparation, Foods products, Nutrition, Protein

Bacteria as a supplement?

May 13, 2007 / Mike Furci

Exterminating bacteria, are we overdoing it?? Many scientists think so, with antibacterial this and antibacterial that.? Scientists are especially concerned about eliminating bacteria inside of our bodies.
??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? In fact, tens of millions of people suffer from “dysbiosis”, a pathological change in intestinal flora, and don’t even know it. You may be one of them.
??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? In the June 2004 Alternative Medicine Review, researchers report that intestinal dybiosis is related to a number of factors associated with modern western living.? These factors include; diet, antibiotics, and stress.
??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? In his special report ”Probiotics: The Answer to Many Mystery Illnesses,” NewsMax’s Dr. Russell Blaylock writes, “Whether you realize it or not, your body needs bacteria, especially good types. The good types of bacteria are called ‘probiotics’ and they include Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, E. coli, and Acidophilus. They perform a vital function — they fight the bad bacteria like pathogenic (harmful) E. coli species and other killer germs.”
??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? Dr. Joseph Pizzorno, a former member of the White House Commission on Complementary and Alternative Medicine policy, told Wired magazine, “Probiotics have resulted in complete elimination of eczema in 80 percent of the people we’ve treated.”
????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? Dr. Pizzorno, who has also used probiotics to treat irritable bowel syndrome and even diabetes, said, “It’s unusual for me to see a patient with a chronic disease that doesn’t respond to probiotics.”
????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? According to NYU Medical Center microbiologist Dr. Martin Blaser, “The microbes that live in the human body are quite ancient. They’ve been selected (through evolution) because they help us.” Dr. Blaser is among many scientists who believe modern sanitary practices which promote the overuse of everything from mouthwashes to bathroom cleansers have upset the ancient balance.
????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? Exposure early in life to microbes, scientists believe, causes mild inflammation that helps the body calibrate its responses to germs and contaminants later on. Some researchers say that unless people are exposed as infants, they can end up with poorly balanced immune systems.
????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? Dr. Pizzorno recommends getting probiotics from doctors and medical specialists. He said that consumer probiotics may or may not contain proper strains of bacteria, and that the bacteria in consumer products are often dead.
????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? Dr. Blaylock agrees. He writes, “A wide variety of organisms are sold as probiotics, but studies have shown that not all are effective. Some are very sensitive to stomach acid and are killed before they reach the colon, while others are acid resistant.”
?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? Dr. Blaylock goes on to describe all the benefits of probiotics, and details how and when to take them. To get Dr. Blaylock’s special report, ”Probiotics: The Answer to Many Mystery Illnesses,” Go Here.

Newsmax Health Alert

Foods products, Men's Health and Wellness, Supplements

Creatine monohydrate

April 25, 2007 / Mike Furci

Creatine is one of the most studied supplements there is. It came under in the late 90’s because of unfounded concerns with dehydration and cramping. These concerns were put to rest after many researchers found no link between creatine and dehydration among athletes. After literally hundreds of studies there appears to but no negative side effects associated with creatine usage at all.

What many people don’t know is that creatine is found naturally in the food we eat. It is found in high levels in red meat. As a matter of fact, this is the main reason why many people who eat red meat regularly don’t seem to get good results with the supplementation of creatine. Creatine does, however, yield great results for most people.

Creatine will work very well for about 30 to 40 percent of the people who use it. Another 30% of the people who use it will claim good results. But unfortunately, about 30% of all creatine users report almost no effect at all. Many of these people may be getting it in their diets.

When taking creatine, use 20 grams per day for the first seven days as a loading phase. Do you need to load up? No, but your muscles will reach their saturation point quicker. After the loading phase, use 10 grams a day for five more weeks. Take the next three to four weeks off, and start again.

Creatine hit the market about 15 years ago and has been one of the top selling supplements since. It’s popularity is due to one reason — it works.

Creatine works by giving the muscle cell what it needs to store ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate). ATP is the energy source our muscles use for heavy-duty, short-term workloads, the type used in weight training, sprintning, wrestling, etc. Creatine has been shown to increase strength in most people by 10%. Endurance athletes will find the use of creatine to be a waste of time because it does not affect that energy system.

Creatine, Supplements

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Muscletalk

April 10, 2007 / Mike Furci

In the April 2007 issue of Muscle & Body magazine, Dave Hawk’s response to a question concerning soy protein is, to say the least disturbing.? The reader asks, if soy is claimed to be an inferior protein by other authors, why is it used in different products?

Excerpt from Dave’s answer:

What I dislike to hear is the misconception, misinformation and misrepresentation of a great ingredient like soy protein isolate (SPI).? Not only does SPI have natural health benefits, it is 100% equal to whey protein isolate (WPI) in aiding muscle building in men.

Misinformation and misrepresentation, soy protein is garbage.? Obviously Mr. Hawk doesn’t keep up with what’s going on in the supplement or food industries because the FDA denied soy’s heart health claims because of overwhelming evidence to the contrary.

The only misrepresentation is by the soy industry and so called experts who spew their garbage in columns like Muscle Talk.? SPI is extremely low in quality.? The Protein Efficiency ratio, Biological Value, Net Protein Ratio and the Relative Net Protein Ratio, which are all ways scientists rate the quality of protein, consistently score soy protein toward the bottom.

Soy does score high with the Protein Digestibility Corrected Amino Acid Score.? The catch is, soy is set at a score of 100 and 100 is the highest score available.? Because the soy industry flexed their financial muscle, they can now claim their protein is as high a quality as other proteins.? The soy industry spends millions on funding false research and claims in an effort to sell product.?

Dave concludes, WPI is a great staple supplement for anyone’s muscle-building diet, but adding SPI to your daily protein regimen can be a great way to stack your nutritional protein arsenal.

SPI is one of the most highly processed foods one can consume.? Soy beans are regularly treated with heat, alkalis, acids, solvents and oxidizers, in order to make protein products.? Otherwise soy protein would taste like shit and be indigestible.

SPI contains trypsin inhibitors, which inhibits enzymes that help us digest protein.? Supplement wth a protein that inhibits the digestion of protein, smart.

SPI contains goitrogens, which block the synthesis of thyroid hormones.? As soy consumption goes up so does the incidence of thyroid disease.

SPI contains phytoestrogens, which lowers testosterone in men.?

The list goes on, but this is not the forum.?
?

Magazine Hype, Men's Health and Wellness, Nutrition, Supplements

Eat fat and forget about your cholesterol.

March 9, 2007 / Mike Furci

The lipid hypothesis states there is a direct link between the amount of saturated fat and cholesterol in the diet and the incidence of heart disease. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Before the mid 1920’s cardiovascular disease was literally unheard of and eggs, butter and lard were conumed in abundance. In 1900 when heart attacks were nonexistent, egg consumption was three times what it was in the mid 1950’s when cardiovascular disease was already the nations #1 killer.

Scientific data just doesn’t support the supposed benefits of reducing saturated fat and choesterol. 20 studies have shown that people who have had heart attacks haven’t eaten any more saturated fat than other people, and the degree of atherosclerosis at autopsy is unrelated to diet. On the contrary, saturated fats have been nourishing societies for millenia.

Below is a list of guidelines we can and should follow to be healthier and reduce our risk of the nations number one killer:

Read food labels.
Consume whole, unprocessed foods.
Don’t consume any product that contains trans fat.
Don’t be fooled by products that advertise “zero trans fat.” Always read the ingredient list and if “hydrogenated vegetable oil,” “partially hydrogenated vegetable oil” or “shortening” are listed, understand that it has trans fat. By law, companies can claim “zero” if there is .5 grams or less of trans fat per serving. There is no safe level of trans fat.
Don’t consume any product that contains vegetable oil, hydrogenated vegetable oil, partially hydrogenated vegetable oil or shortening listed as one of the ingredients.
Only use oils that are labeled “Cold Pressed,” “Expellar Pressed” or “Extra Virgin.”
Consume eggs laid by free range chickens. They are a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, biotin, and vitamins A, D and E.
Use peanut oil, sesame oil or olive oil for cooking if you do not want to use animal fats. These oils can also be used for one-time frying.
Use coconut oil for cooking or frying. It’s very stable, and has strong antimicrobial properties.
Use butter, not margarine.
Don’t use trans fat-free spreads. They are still made with highly processed oils that are rancid.
Keep your consumption of polyunsaturated fats to a minimum. They are high in omega-6 fatty acids.
Consume meat.
Don’t eat like a vegetarian. We do not possess multiple stomachs, nor do we chew cud. Our stomachs produce hydrochloric acid, which is not found in herbivores. We are omnivores. There are essential nutrients in animal products that cannot be gotten in sufficient amounts by eating plants.
Don’t feed your children a low-fat diet. If they’re fat, it’s because they sit on their asses too much and eat too much junk. Not coincidentally, these are the same two reasons many adult Americans are overweight.
Supplement your diet with vitamins and other nutrients: A, D, E and C, CoQ10, fish oil (omega-3), selenium.
Don’t smoke.
Exercise at least three days per week.
Taken from, “Fats, Cholestarol and the Lipid Hypothesis“

Cholesterol, Diets, Food preparation, Foods products, Men's Health and Wellness, Nutrition, Supplements, Xternal Fitness, Xternal Furci