Sugar “Fix?” Hardly

Posted on October 21, 2012 by Warren Dostie

Here’s a nice looking pasta dish suggestion for those trying to shed the pounds, right?  The answer is nope.  Far from it.  Your enemy in your weight loss or anti-aging program is sugar, and it lurks in some of the lesser obvious places too.  I have a few ideas here for painlessly eradicating – or at least lessening it in your healthful diet plans.

The average American consumes approximately 150 lbs of sugar annually, our ancestors had a meager ten pounds or so.  This is like comparing a wheelbarrel full vs two small 5 lb bags.  And of course our ancestors were the ones who actually needed the stuff, as they typically spent all day toiling in the fields, hunting or building things.  In this day of excess we get to see the results of this abuse graphically displayed on our bodies, and what happens underneath should be of even greater concern for us.

So what’s  so bad about sugar anyway?  Is it just the calories involved?  Sugar does make many foods taste better.  It isn’t  “toxic” as some experts would suggest.   It does have its place.  But going way overboard as we do poses some potentially disasterous consequences, far beyond merely adding an extra roll on the belly:

  •  Cronically high blood glucose levels can destroy the sugar sensing cells of the hypothalamus, a part of the brain that is our bodies natural thermostat, or sensor for homeostasis.  It also controls the pituitary which in turn controls most of our hormones.  Not a good idea to abuse it.
  • High glucose spikes your blood insulin levels, which can over time destroy cells of the hippocampus, a critical part of the brain involved in memory and other functions.
  • The insulin stimulated from high carbohydrate in the diet also leads to a preponderance of 2 series prostaglandins, and the negative ramifications of high inflamation, pain, constriction of arteries and bronchial passages;  glucose also lowers blood levels of testosterone, growth hormone, dhea, and basically overall health.
  • High glucose leads to increased glycosylation, a general gunking up of various bodily systems, and aging in general.  This is explained a bit in an earlier post.

Of course we also know that it stimulates fat storage, and the potential for type ll diabetes, heart disease and stroke.  It goes on and on and…   I guess the case is pretty much closed.  We need to find healthy alternatives to the high carb/sugar foods we so often reach for through habit.

If at a restaurant you opt for a large plate of pasta or other starchy food like the dish above you might as well just tell the waitress “I don’t want an entree today, just give me a double dessert serving as my meal”.  That is essentially what that dish represents.  Complex carbohydrates do not get you off the hook as some people say.  They are only multiple sugars chained together.  Try to elliminate or minimalize them in your diet;  at least insist on whole grain.

What if you have a chronic sweet tooth like me?  What can you do about that?  I think again the answer is substitution.  Here are a few suggestions to have after that big meal.  The sweetness of these healthy alternatives kinda kills the desire for more.  You dump a temporary tsunami on those taste buds.  Give em a try and tell me what you think!

     

 (Chocolate or caramel whey protein shake, frozen blueberries, dark chocolate covered almonds, frozen blueberries[on anything], plums/apples, etc.)  All healthy and satisfying if you try them.

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Portion Distortion – an “Inflated” view of reality…

Posted on October 14, 2012 by Warren Dostie

“I can’t understand why I’m not losing weight!  I eat exactly what they tell me to…..”

As a former fitness trainer, and as life-long advocate for diet and fitness in general I have frequently heard this lament from those trying to shed the pounds.  To these individuals the prescribed regimen for meeting their goals is failing  –  yet have they really stuck to the program?

Unfortunately, as any shrink will tell you, a bad habit has a host of subtle tricks for maintaining it’s existence.  One of it’s most powerful weapons in keeping you hopelessly fat is the awesome power of self delusion.    Take a step back from yourself – envision yourself hovering over the dinner table watching yourself detachedly like those on the operating table in a near-death experience.   What exactly are you eating?

In the picture above you see two bowls of grapes.  The one on the left has the recommended quantity for one serving (about 17 grapes).  The one on the right has “oh, a few more than that”, at least thats how it looks.  The reality – it has exactly twice as much.  And double the calories.  But does your dietary regimen say to have two snacks that hour?

You can see how easy it is to fool ourselves.  Another example:  A recommended serving of pasta is about a cup, or about the size in your plate of your fist.  Now if you hold both of your hands together in a double fist it only seems like a little more right?  The serving of pasta in the picture is actually about two and a half cups, but I see many people putting that much or more on their plate.  Its the simple law of physiques – er physics, and denial changes nothing.

Whats the solution?  If you are serious about losing weight you have to be a bit tough with yourself in the beginning.  Take the time to actually count the food, or measure your servings religiously for the first few weeks at least.  By then you will have developed the habit of dishing out accurate helpings  – and seeing significant results for your efforts.

Here’s another tip in one of my earlier posts.  http://agereductionsite.com/2012/04/14/dietary-jiu-jitsu-substitution-is-the-answer/   You can and should dedicate some of that new diet enthusiasm for seeking and discovering low calorie, healthy snacks and meals to fill out your day.  I call it “dietary jiu-jitsu” because you are turning the force of hunger to your own personal benefit.            Good luck and eat smart!     Warren

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Pumpin’ Iron – And Your Neurons Too!

Posted on September 29, 2012 by Warren Dostie

Ok, here’s another “fairly important” reason why you want to start that workout program as soon as possible:  exercise increases your intelligence.  forget about images of the dull-witted muscle bound clod, that is a myth.  People who exercise regularly are often smarter than those who do not, and if you begin an exercise regimen you can expect a noticeable difference in a few short months.  It’s true.  The writing is on the wall – the research blackboard that is, and here are a couple of things we have found out in recent years:

Originally it was thought that exercise benefitted the brain only because it provided a generally healthier overall environment for it to function:  more oxygen delivered, better vascular network, etc., now we can see concrete physiological changes clearly attributed to it.  Some recent findings:

Exercise increases levels of BDNF – brain derived neurotropic factor, a growth factor protein prevalent in the forebrain, the cortex and the hippocampus.  These are all areas involved in memory and critical thinking.  Perhaps this is one reason why regular exercise can help to alleviate that so called age related memory decline.  (See my earlier post “brain fog“)  It may also explain why exercise eases depression.

One large study from a few years back looked at 1.2 million new recruits in the Swedish military.  They found that the enlistees who had a high level of physical fitness (not merely good health)  had a correspondingly higher IQ than the others tested.  The study’s authors also stated that increasing ones exercise between the ages of 15 and 18 led to higher scholastic testing and better acedemic prospects because of it.  (PNAS Dec 2009)

Exercise has also been shown in the lab to increase the size and function of the hippocampus which is vital for “long term potentiation”, the establishment of actual memories from inputted information.  (see “studies”)  As mentioned earlier, exercise also has well established cardiovascular benefits, it keeps the brain youthful and healthy just like any other organ.  Clearly you are doing more than just “increasing your muscle tone!”

The conclusion is clear:  Up the weights or the mileage and you will up your IQ in the process!

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Got Any “Grape Dip?”

Posted on September 22, 2012 by Warren Dostie

 

Try this little test.  Put out some fruit or vegetables on the table with a bowl of chips for family and friends to grab and munch on.  See for yourself which one disappears faster.  You might find that the surprising answer is the grapes.  So what’s all this talk of a junk food nation?

I think it illustrates that we mostly eat out of habit and convenience.  It’s usually NOT that the junk tastes better, we just eat it because it’s there.  Proximity breeds proclivity.  What usually happens is that people will try a grape on a whim,  find out surprisingly that it tastes great and grab some more.  By comparison the chips can taste very bland, oh and theres that health thing……

But be careful.  Leaving a fruit bowl out with bananas, apples and pears, etc., may backfire because people may not feel particularly hungry enough to tackle all that, they’re just grabbing munchies from habit.  You want to guide that hairy monster of habit, not try to slay him.  

I got this idea from a friend; she used green beans vs chips, and says her kids grab handfuls!  So why not try it?   Heres more on snacking from an earlier post.

Note:  That little statue on the table over the bowls was coincidence.  The slogan kinda fits in a way though  😉

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Don’t Forget This Critical Nutrient..

Posted on September 3, 2012 by Warren Dostie

                                         Dessert idea from yours truly 🙂

We hear a lot these days about the importance of getting enough calcium.  It is one of the most highly recommended supplements – heck even Dr Oz uses it!   And for good reason too.  Calcium is of course needed for strong bones – the mineral makes up @ 60% of their composition, and it is also needed for muscle/nerve signal transmission and a host of other functions.  But if you do decide to take added calcium, don’t forget to supplement magnesium as well.

Magnesium seems to get a bit overlooked these days.  It is just as important as calcium; magnesium is required for over 300 metabolic functions in the human body.  Yet according to current data, half the people in the developed world are magnesium deficient, in America alone women consume only 68% of the recommended daily intake.  ( I personally feel RDA’s are waaay to low to begin with)  

Magnesium is also required for bone formation.  Along with collagen it forms the matrix upon which calcium can collect and solidify.  It also has an important role in energy production, and in the transmission of nerve impulses.  Here its relationship with calcium is clearly shown.  Magnesium has been called natures “natural calcium channel blocker”  meaning it tempers the stimulating impulse of the calcium in effect.  It therefore can lead to a more regular heart beat, lowered blood pressure and other cardiovascular benefits.   

In one recent review, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, an analysis of over 240,000 people found that for each additional 100mg of magnesium supplemented daily the risk of ischemic stroke decreased by 9 percent.

Another meta-analysis recently published in the journal Diabetes Care showed a greatly reduced risk of type 2 diabetes among people who consume or supplement with more magnesium than is commonly taken.  Diabetes along with obesity are hallmarks of Metabolic Syndrome and should be reason enough by itself to start pounding it down.

(I found my own benefit when I tried it for painful food cramps I had been getting after recently taking up running.  What a difference! 🙂

How much magnesium should you take?  If you are supplementing with calcium it is important to injest nearly as much magnesium also.  The RDA for calcium is @ 900 mg, and for magnesium @ 450, but only about one-third of magnesium is absorbed from dietary sources.  Also, injestion of calcium greatly blocks the absorbtion of magnesium along with most other minerals.  Therefore you should take them seperately.  I cannot understand why supplement manufacturers include them all in one tablet! 😉

If you do not wish to take your minerals in supplement form why not give my little dessert suggestion a try?  Pumpkin seeds are loaded with magnesium, nuts are another good source.  Pumpkin seeds also possess the added benefit of urinary continence facilitation.  They can help to elliminate those nocturnal trips to the bathroom.   So they are the perfect after dinner snack.   I like to throw a few of the chocolate covered almonds in with them to make em more enjoyable.  It’s dark chocolate of course – which has its own list of serious health benefits.             “Bone”  appetit!

.

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Mother Nature Does It Best…..

Posted on September 2, 2012 by Warren Dostie

Walking my dog I caught the scent of grapes, so I looked over and saw these right within reach.  Naturally I grabbed a few for the trail.  I found out the place was loaded with them.  I’ll have to bring a bag next time.

Wild grapes like these are just about as healthy a snack as you can possibly find.   They are loaded with antioxidants and polyphenols like resveratrol – which is the basis for the healthy aspects of drinking a glass of wine every now and then.  But when it comes to nutritional value these wild guys totally knock out the ones you find on the grocery store shelves.  Particularly if your choice is the big, fat, juicy seedless variety like this:

But why are the wild ones so much healthier?  Why are their antioxidant and other ingredients so much higher?  It is because they are in the same unchanged natural state as they were to our early ancestors.  Back in the early days of human development the body never created a way to manufacture certain types of nutrients.  These are called essential as opposed to the ones we can make in the gut, etc.  In the interest of saving energy the body wouldn’t need to make a nutrient that was so readily available in nature.  Thus we do make certain enzymatic antioxidants like SOD, Catalase, Glutithione Peroxidase, but not vitamins  C, E, and the flavonoids, etc.  We can grab those anytime.  But the kicker is unfortunately  many people do not. 

I think that we in modern society have lost our taste for healthy natural foods to an extent.  It’s probably just a negative habitual trend, but it is responsible for some pretty nasty things.  It follows that if you truly want to improve your dietary habits you want to rekindle this enjoyment of natural stuff.  Highly processed foods should be left to the laboratory rats!

So grab those berries and grapes.   Eat like your ancestors.  (Note:  I make it a point to only pick the high hanging grapes.  Other walkers take their dogs with them and dogs like to stop frequently 🙂

What are your eating habits?  Check out this earlier post.

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Life Changing Events…

Posted on August 25, 2012 by Warren Dostie

                              Heed these words of wisdom from the “All-seeing one”  

(Yes, thats me, having a little fun with the ole Ipad.  lol 🙂

Image for a minute that you had just won the lottery.  The BIG one.  How would it make you feel?  How about if you had just found that perfect mate for yourself, or had just landed the perfect dream job after months of searching.  You’d be on cloud nine right?  These events would literally “shake your world” wouldn’t they?    

Unfortunately, most of these are a bit hard to come by; they are just relegated to “dream time”  and “just imagine if……”   But there is one Life changing event that you have total control over.  And its right there for the taking.

I’m referring to the changes in your body that a new fitness plan can impart.  If you are enjoying excellent physical fitness right now but remember the time when it wasn’t so,  you know what I’m talking about.  It changes your whole outlook on life.

I personally know a guy whom I’ll call “Bill” who has suffered ill health for decades now . I remember him from long before his decline, so it’s a sad thing to see.  He is in his mid eighties now and can barely get around, with help at that,  and though I hate to admit it I was expecting to hear of his passing any day now.

What I found out amazed me.  He started physical therapy and then took it to a higher level and began working out on his own.  Though I haven’t heard from him in a while I hear he is moving around freely and he is excited about the change.  They say he looks and acts years younger!

For people like this it’s almost like a “second time around”.  They are utterly shocked and delighted at their new life and the possibilities they had thought were gone forever.  Going from old, fat, sore, tired and “winding down” to freedom, energy and a great charge of well being is as wonderful a life change as any other you can realize.  But you really have to feel it yourself to know it.

Now everyone knows that “exercise is good for you”.  And the doctors  (the good ones) are all reminding us go “get moving” etc., but I think that for for those who never really experienced excellent physical conditioning, they don’t truly know how much it will change their life.  They may get a taste of it when having some success on a weight loss regimen – dropping 20 or 30 lbs maybe, but that is only a tiny sample of what I’m talking about.  It’s like comparing a wooden park bench to a big puffy easy chair….

Working out is one of the highest reward/effort activities we can possibly do for ourselves.  Though is certainly can be difficult to push ourselves and prevail until the overwhelming benefits drive us forward, there are many good sources for help in this regard.  My “motivation” section is a good place to start.

So heres to your creating your own “life changing event”.  Let me know in 3 or 4 months how much you have been able to transform yourself!

                                        “The most important vitamin for making friends is B1”

 

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Don’t Believe All You Hear!

Posted on August 18, 2012 by Warren Dostie

Scanning the health news yesterday from some usually reliable sources, I ran into a “study” that definitely deserves a

   award.    The title of the study alone should have sent up red flags, and maybe even a little snicker, but considering it my duty I proceeded to read the whole article.  It was published in the Cnn.com health section, titled:  Is Eating Egg Yolks as Bad As Smoking?

This obviously might scare a lot of gullible people and send them scurrying away from the produce section, but it would certainly help these people if they would read deep into the article.  The study was about as weak as any I’ve read, there are so many areas to attack.  First, the results “showed” that eating 3 or more yolks per week raised arterial plaque 2/3 as much as smoking.  If that were true then it does in fact raise the cardiovascular disease risk.  But what about cancer?  Emphysema?  Smoking also raises your blood pressure- which more dangerous than high cholesterol.  The fact is that smoking is the by far the deadliest controllable health risk factor we have.

Examing the details of this study showed that researchers looked at 1,231  patients at London Health Sciences Center University Hospital who had some cardiovascular health issues:  Stroke, high blood pressure or a family history of heart disease, and had them fill out questionaires about their diet and lifestyle, and how many egg yolks they had eaten.   An ultrasound was then performed to determine plaque build up in their arteries.  Using their related histories the researchers found that the egg consumers had nearly as much plaque as did regular smokers.

Now of course the authors had to sandbag a little.  They did not take into account exercise habits, or waist circumference.  And the participants had already suffered cardiac difficulties.  And of course they were relying upon the patients remembered estimates of their consumption.  In other words it was far from a double-blind, randomized, placibo controlled study.   A little bit!

The fact is that dietary cholesterol has very little impact upon your blood lipid profile.  Most cholesterol is produced in our own bodies, and when we cut down on the consumption of it our bodies only step up production.  Why is this?  Because cholesterol is an essential product.  We need it for production of many hormones, for the manufacturing of vitamin d, for our nerve cells and for the membranes of every cell in our bodies.  A high proportion of LDL cholesterol actually is a factor, but having too low of a cholesterol level is risky also.  The American Heart Association announced at the annual Stroke Conference a few years back that cholesterol levels lower than 180 increased the risk of hemorrhagic stroke, as compared to those with levels of 230.   Slightly higher cholesterol is not the death sentence that some people think.

Lets stop demonizing eggs.  They are great source of many nutrients not found in most other foods.  They are a great source of protein, having a high rating in amino acid profile second only to whey protein.  The yolks are also a good source of choline, vitamin d and b vitamins, and nowadays farmers have even added vit e and omega 3s.   They are a complete food for your table.   So relax.  Your breakfast is safe.  Go ahead and  indulge without fear!

If you want some dietary ideas for lowering cholesterol you can visit one of my previous posts here.

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Destinations…..

Posted on August 12, 2012 by Warren Dostie

To me this looks like paradise:

Perhaps you prefer something like this:

 

Whatever your chosen destination, your clearly not going to get there by merely wishing for it, right?  The road to your destination requires planning, execution and a certain level of expenditure.    Above all you can never let go of that vision.   Your goals and destinations are attainable, and if you chart your course right and make consistent progress you’ll arrive before you even know it!

They say life is journey, it is not a destination.  That may be true, but isn’t a journey a series of little destinations?  If you simply embark and set your sails to the wind you will drift to who knows where, so you clearly have to have a true destination in mind.

I think the coiners of this maxim wanted to point out that you shouldn’t have to stop living as you toil to your main life’s goals.  “Smell the roses along the way” so to speak.  Applied to your fitness goals this is very sound advice.  Where I may diverge is to suggest that any side excursions or letups must be clearly planned in advance, so you don’t lose track of the main goal.  It’s not that you can’t take a break now and then, in fact you must, but they should be planned just like everything else.

Heres an interesting way to look at it: 

Lets say you have worked out a feasible fitness program where you plan to reach your goal in nine months.  6 weeks into it you’ve only progressed about 15% of the way – and that can be discouraging!   But if you hang in there another 6 weeks you’re almost one third of the way.and the picture is much brighter…..  Also remember that by this time you will be seeing significant progress, clear tangible rewards for your efforts and you will be building some serious momentum… 

You see time is only your enemy when you don’t work from a plan.  They say there’s a time and place for everything – and you know what place you want to be, right?  Never lose sight of that destination, and stay on that road and you will soon be feelin it!

Here’s and earlier post on that theme

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Go For The Gold…and the Fun

Posted on August 4, 2012 by Warren Dostie

That little girl just put 280 lbs over her head!  Her body weight @116 lbs.  Ahem…. Thats Zulfina Chinshanlo of Kazakstan.   (Not former worlds strongest man Bill “Kaz” Kazmaier”s daughter, by the way 🙂

Watching the Olympics brought to mind the motivations that spur on the athletes.  Its not all about the gold and the glory.  The sheer competition against others and against themselves is a powerful factor.  It’s also a good source to tap if you want to bring your training to another level.    After all, don’t we all need as much motivational fuel as possible to consistently perform a generally untasteful activity like working out?

I am running in the Cigna 5k road race next week in Manchester NH.  Did it last year too, my first year as a runner.  And I finished waaaaay back in the pack.  To me it was like a slap in the face, or a wake up call.  After all I train like a fanatic (though not running) so I thought I’d blow em all away.   My reaction from last year Cigna 2011

Well I never forgot about that race, all year.  This time it’s gonna be different.

So if you find it hard to drag yourself out the door for a walk or run, or drive to the facility, why not search for races and/or “fun runs” in your area?  They give you goals to shoot for, stimulate excitement about your progress, and another occasion to look forward to.   I know of people who run multiple races every year and train for them.   If it weren’t for these events they wouldn’t work out at all….

Road races are excellent opportunities for you to show off.  They are also great opportunities to socialize, so they are  fun even if you don’t seriously compete.  So get on the bandwagon and start a new hobby!

Here’s the old man with his own  “Olympic  lift”  at the camp.  (It was about half what that little girl lifted….)

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