How do I make Ginger Chicken?

Never had it? I guess you can’t knock it until you try it. Route 40, this is simple, it’s packed with protein, carbohydrates and just the right amount of fats. Good fats that is. I even took a picture of it so that you could salivate as you read this. Did it work? Hope so!! This is on page one of the handout that I gave you on Friday (12/19).

Ginger Chicken

Ingredients:

1 1/3 teaspoons olive oil

4 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut lengthwise into thin strips

2 cups broccoli florets, washed

1 1/2 cups snow peas, washed

3/4 cup yellow onion, peeled and chopped

1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated

 

Instructions:

In a wok or large nonstick pan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken and saute, turning frequently, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add broccoli, snow peas, onion, ginger and 1/4 cup water. Continue cooking, stirring often, until the chicken is done, water is reduced to a glaze, and vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes. If the pan dries out during cooking, add water in tablespoon increments to keep moist. Serve grapes for dessert.

Eggplant Parmesan with Grilled Peaches

 

Ingredients:
8 oz low fat skim mozzarella, shredded
3 cups eggplant (peeled/sliced)
2 cups tomato sauce
Zone Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 peaches
1 teaspoon oregano
½ teaspoon basil
2 Tbsp. chives, minced
juice of 1 lime
salt
pepper

Instructions:
Brush sliced eggplant lightly with olive oil and roast them on a hot grill, season with salt & pepper. In the bottom of a glass baking dish, place 1 cup tomato sauce, eggplant and ½ of the mozzarella. Top with the remaining 1 cup tomato sauce, herbs, and then rest of mozzarella. Bake at 350°F for about 30 minutes. Cut the peaches in half, then into thin slices and lightly grill on both sides. Transfer to a plate and sprinkle with lime juice. Leave in refrigerator to marinate for 1 hour. Garnish with fresh basil and chives.

What’s with that lemon?

Thank you AlQiyamah! He responded to the post: Forget BAD foods, tell me about the good ones!! and brought up the benefits of lemons, so that put me on a research hunt to find out more about lemons and it’s benefits. I never really thought about it, so based on what I found, I’ve learned quite a few new benefits of lemons and will try to incorporate them somehow. Many of us will request lemon in our water when in a restaurant. Not me, because I’ve work at Friendly’s while in college (note to you; don’t piss off a waiter). So the main gist is that lemon juice raises the alkalising effect of the water so even with standard tap water you can make your drink nice and alkalising. The trick however, is to have the water lukewarm. If the water is too hot or too cold then it will cause the body to expand energy in order to process it. Lukewarm water also has that comforting feeling to it. Apart from being an amazing body alkalizer, lemon water also gives the following health benefits:

 

 

 

1. Lemons are antiseptic
2. Lemon water has excellent digestive properties and can ease heartburn, bloating and other digestion problems
3. Lemon water cleanses and stimulates the liver and kidneys
4. Lemon juice contains calcium, magnesium and potassium
5. Lemon juice has been known to relieve asthma
6. Lemon water (hot) offers relief from cold and flu symptoms while providing some much needed Vitamin C
7. Lemon juice is a great skin cleanser
8. Lemon is a diuretic. This means that lemon water is especially good for people with urinary tract infections. People with arthritis or rheumatism can benefit from consuming lemons because it helps flush out toxins and bacteria. When lemon is mixed with coffee, it also helps eliminate headaches. (Interesting, caffeine is usually a precursor to headaches. Maybe the lemons cancel out the side effects of the caffeine found in coffee?)
9. When externally applied, lemon juice poured on a cotton ball and gently applied to the nostrils can stop nose bleeds although this may sting a little. When massaged gently into gums, lemon juice can stop bleeding gums in the mouth. Lemon juice with glycerin is effective when used on the lips to treat chapped lips. (Don’t apply lemon juice however, if the skin on your lips is cracked. Ouch!) Applied on your skin, lemon juice can also help prevent sunburn. Lemons are a key ingredient in effective liver cleanses.
10. Lemon is also very good at clarifying your hair to remove hair products. For those with dark hair, you can use lemon juice to add golden and red highlights to your hair. For those with blonde hair, you can use it to lighten your blonde color. To do this, simply squeeze the juice from 1/2 lemon (or more) into your hair and sit out in the sun for an hour. Shampoo and condition afterwards for hair that looks shinier, reflects more highlights, and feels cleaner!

This gets more interesting. So what is the benefit of drinking alkalized water? 

In order to digest food and kill the kinds of bacteria and viruses that come with the food, the inside of our stomach is acidic. The stomach pH level is maintained at around 4. When we eat food and drink water, especially alkaline water, the pH level inside the stomach goes up. When this happens, there is a feedback mechanism in our stomach to detect this that commands the stomach wall to secrete more hydrochloric acid into the stomach to bring the pH level back to 4. So the stomach becomes acidic again. When we drink more alkaline water, more hydrochloric acid is secreted to maintain the stomach pH value. It seems like a losing battle.

However, when you understand how the stomach wall makes hydrochloric acid, your concerns will disappear. As pathologists explain, there is no hydrochloric acid pouch in our body. If there were, it would burn a hole in our body. The cells in our stomach wall must produce it on an instantly-as-needed basis. The ingredients in the stomach cell that make hydrochloric acid (HCl) are carbon dioxide (CO2), water (H2O), and sodium chloride (NaCl) or potassium chloride (KCl).NaCl + H2O + CO2 = HCl + NaHCO3, or KCl + H2O + CO2 = HCl + KHCO3 .

As we can see, the by-product of making hydrochloric acid is sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) or potassium bicarbonate (KHCO3), which goes into blood stream. These bicarbonates are the alkaline buffers that neutralize excess acids in the blood; they dissolve solid acid wastes into liquid form. As they neutralize the solid acidic wastes, extra carbon dioxide is released, which is discharged through the lungs. As our body gets old, these alkaline buffers get low; this phenomenon is called acidosis. This is a natural occurrence as our body accumulates more acidic waste products. There is, therefore, a relationship between the aging process and the accumulation of acids.

By looking at the pH value of the stomach alone, it seems that alkaline water never reaches the body. But when you look at the whole body, there is a net gain of alkalinity as we drink alkaline water. Our body cells are slightly alkaline. In order for them to produce acid, they must also produce alkaline, and vice versa; just as a water ionizer cannot produce alkaline water without producing acid water, since tap water is almost neutral.

When the stomach pH value gets higher than 4, the stomach knows what to do to lower it. However, if the pH value goes below 4, for any reason, the stomach doesn’t know what to do. That’s why we take Alka-Seltzer, which is alkaline, to relieve acidic stomach gas pain. In this case, hydrochloric acid is not produced by the stomach wall, therefore, no alkaline buffer is being added to the blood stream.

Let me give you another example of a body organ that produces acid in order to produce alkaline. After the food in the stomach is digested, it must come out to the small intestine. The food at this point is so acidic that it will damage the intestine wall. In order to avoid this problem, the pancreas makes alkaline juice (known as pancreatic juice). This juice is sodium bicarbonate, and is mixed with the acidic food coming out of the stomach. From the above formulae, in order to produce bicarbonates, the pancreas must make hydrochloric acid, which goes into our blood stream.

We experience sleepiness after a big meal (not during the meal or while the food is being digested in the stomach), when the digested food is coming out of the stomach; that’s the time when hydrochloric acid goes into our blood. Hydrochloric acid is the main ingredient in antihistamines and that is what causes drowsiness.

Alkaline or acid produced by the body must have an equal and opposite acid or alkaline produced by the body; therefore, there is no net gain. However, alkaline supplied from outside the body, like drinking alkaline water, results in a net gain of alkalinity in our body.

Check out Forget BAD foods, tell me about the good ones!! Post your recommended foods in order for others to learn about something new….interesting….healthy!

Forget BAD foods, tell me about the good ones!!

So I was thinking this afternoon, since the common problem is NOT knowing what good food to eat, we could start a thread on recommended foods that we’ve tried, which taste good and are healthier choices. AlQiyamah mentioned Ezekiel Bread (which he gets from Trader Joe’s) and it’s considered to be a really healthy bread, which (based on my reading) gives you a ton of grains and daily fiber that you need. I’ve tried it before in the past and it was pretty good. Here is some information about soluble versus insoluble fibers and the grains that Ezekiel Bread contains. 

Soluble fiber is “water soluble” and is absorbed into the blood stream. Soluble fiber serves a vital function as it works within the body at the cellular level. Soluble fiber includes pectin, gums and mucilage, which are found primarily in plant cells. Good sources including beans, (soy, lentils), fruits, vegetables, oat bran, barley, seeds (such as flax and psyllium). Soluble fiber can help lower blood cholesterol levels and also acts in cleaning the blood by acting as a vehicle to rid the body of contaminants.

Insoluble fiber is the indigestible parts or compounds of plants that pass relatively unchanged through our stomach and intestines. Fiber keeps the digestive system healthy, helping lower cholesterol and prevents colon disease. Wheat bran, corn bran, rice bran, the skins of fruits and vegetables, nuts, seeds, dried beans and whole grain foods are excellent sources of insoluble fiber. Insoluble fiber slows the absorption of carbohydrates in the body as well as keeps you feeling satisfied longer, eliminating the need to snack. Insoluble fiber tends to speed up the transit speed of food through the body and cleans the gastrointestinal acting as a “scouring pad” to eliminate harmful food stuffs through the GI tract and helps prevent constipation.

Food For Life’s Ezekiel 4:9® Bread and Genesis 1:29® Bread contain both soluble and insoluble fiber. The use of organic sprouted grains, wheat, soybeans, lentils, and seeds provides the fiber. This also gives Ezekiel and Genesis Bread a more substantial feel and flavorful, grainy composition.

Most commercial baked goods are made with flour which has had the bran and germ removed. Along with beneficial oils and vitamins, much of the fiber goes with bran and germ. Food For Life’s Ezekiel 4:9® Bread and Genesis 1:29® Bread retains the oils and vitamins because we use organic bran and germ.

So we’ll start a running list of recommended foods/ snacks/ combinations and promise to try something new in the new year. The boring oatmeal and egg whites gets boring and when then boredom settles in, you start looking at Pop Tarts and pre-made croissant sandwiches at 7-11. Once you submit your recommendation in the comment field, I will update this list….GO AHEAD…Submit one!!

 

ROUTE 40 FOODS OF CHOICE

 

1. Ezekiel Bread (Recommended by AlQiyamah) 

2. Wheat wrap, organic peanut butter, fruit preserve, dried oats, banana, strawberry. (1) Lay the peanut butter on the wrap, sprinkle a few oats, lay the sliced banana down, slap some organic strawberry down (that holds it together), (2) Put the remaining ingredients in and wrap it up. Slice it in 2, you’ll have a great snack that will give you enough energy to last a few hours. Trust me, it’s good!! (Recommended by Sgt. Shawn)

 

Negative Implication of High Protein Diets

So your buddy tells you he’s starving and has a case of hunger breath. After your workout, you guys head to lunch. He orders a cheeseburger deluxe platter, no bun, extra cheese, no fries. He explains the carbs are totally bad for him and that he’s on a high-protein diet. Whether it’s the Atkins Diet, Zone Diet, The South Beach Diet, Meat-Mania, Proteinopia or whatever fancy name they call that high-protein diet he’s on, it’s doing more harm than good.

The calling card of high-protein diets is that your body burns fat for energy and that, in turn, will result in weight loss. Prolonged consumption of high protein sends the body into a state of ketosis. That’s top of the list of cons of high-protein diets. Ketosis occurs when the liver converts fats into fatty acids for use as energy and the by-product, ketones. Ketones increase the acidity of the blood and can be detected in the urine. In extreme cases of starvation or fasting, the body undergoes gluconeogenesis, which is the production of glucose from sources other than carbohydrates, primarily protein.

Possible kidney damage

High-protein diets place a lot of stress on the kidneys. The initial weight loss on high-protein diets is from water loss. When carb intake is restricted, the body uses muscle and liver glycogen for energy. For each gram of glycogen, two grams of water are used or “lost.” The minute you give into your carb craving, that weight will come back. The diuretic effect of eliminating carbohydrates from your diet stresses the kidneys while they remove urea, a by-product of protein synthesis, from the body. Compounding that problem, when the body is in a state of ketosis, increased levels of calcium are excreted — that can lead to kidney stones; a build-up of calcium in the urine. Think about the experiment when you put a nail in a cup of Coke: After a few days the acid in the soda starts to dissolve the nail. The same breakdown happens to your bones. Calcium (along with other minerals) is leached from bones and teeth because of the increased acidity of the body. Literally pissing away calcium is a major con of high-protein diets because that will have a negative effect on your workouts. Calcium is a necessary mineral for muscle contraction and nerve impulse. Calcium loss can also lead to stress fractures. 

Increased risk of cardiovascular disease

A balanced diet consists of approximately 60% carbs, 25% protein and 15% fats. However, 30% to 50% of calories come from protein on diets like Atkins. That shift also means an increase in fat consumption: up to 50% of calories come from fat, and increased calorie consumption. For every gram of carbohydrates there are four calories compared to nine calories per gram of fat. Meats, cheese and eggs — animal and dairy products — all contain saturated fats and cholesterol, even the leaner varieties. When you think about it, how healthy does eating sausage, egg and cheese for breakfast, a cheeseburger and milkshake for lunch and (let’s say you’re trying to be healthy) a salad for dinner with chicken, egg, bacon bits, nuts, and with Ranch, Caesar or blue cheese dressing sound? Over time, consumption of this sort of diet, along with limited fiber and fruit consumption will raise LDL cholesterol levels and increase the risk of heart disease.

Negative effect on social interactions

Complex and simple carbohydrates are broken down into glucose, which is used for energy. Not getting enough glucose is next on the list of the cons of high-protein diets. Glucose is the only fuel source for your brain (not to mention your boys below the belt). When your brain is lacking that vital nutrient, you become fuzzy and can’t think straight. You also become irritable and cranky, and may experience dizziness, fatigue and headaches. What causes this change in mood is low serotonin levels and tryptophan. That moody and tired disposition definitely doesn’t make you a fun guy to be around. And while you’re telling off your buddies or yelling at your girlfriend, they’ll recoil from your breath. Bad breath is a “symptom” of high-protein diets. The body releases ketones through the lungs as well. Your breath will have a sickly, sweet or alcoholic odor.

Increased risk of constipation

The restriction of carbohydrates on high-protein diets also reduces the amount of fiber you get in your diet. Fruits and grains are considered off-limits. Limited fiber intake can cause constipation, not to mention the dehydration caused by ketosis and limited carbs. Insoluble fiber found in fruits, veggies and whole cereal grains can prevent constipation. Soluble fiber can decrease blood cholesterol. And when you pop those laxatives, you may still have a hard time on the john because diets high in meat can cause hemorrhoids.

HIGH-PROTEIN = HIGH-RISK

Remember, any diet that encourages you to limit or totally eliminate a certain food or food group — such as carbs on a high-protein diet — should be carefully considered before following. The best diet for health, weight management or weight loss is a balanced diet that will not harm vital organs or systems in your body.

Negative Implication of High Protein Diets

So your buddy tells you he’s starving and has a case of hunger breath. After your workout, you guys head to lunch. He orders a cheeseburger deluxe platter, no bun, extra cheese, no fries. He explains the carbs are totally bad for him and that he’s on a high-protein diet. Whether it’s the Atkins Diet, Zone Diet, The South Beach Diet, Meat-Mania, Proteinopia or whatever fancy name they call that high-protein diet he’s on, it’s doing more harm than good.

The calling card of high-protein diets is that your body burns fat for energy and that, in turn, will result in weight loss. Prolonged consumption of high protein sends the body into a state of ketosis. That’s top of the list of cons of high-protein diets. Ketosis occurs when the liver converts fats into fatty acids for use as energy and the by-product, ketones. Ketones increase the acidity of the blood and can be detected in the urine. In extreme cases of starvation or fasting, the body undergoes gluconeogenesis, which is the production of glucose from sources other than carbohydrates, primarily protein.

Possible kidney damage

High-protein diets place a lot of stress on the kidneys. The initial weight loss on high-protein diets is from water loss. When carb intake is restricted, the body uses muscle and liver glycogen for energy. For each gram of glycogen, two grams of water are used or “lost.” The minute you give into your carb craving, that weight will come back. The diuretic effect of eliminating carbohydrates from your diet stresses the kidneys while they remove urea, a by-product of protein synthesis, from the body. Compounding that problem, when the body is in a state of ketosis, increased levels of calcium are excreted — that can lead to kidney stones; a build-up of calcium in the urine. Think about the experiment when you put a nail in a cup of Coke: After a few days the acid in the soda starts to dissolve the nail. The same breakdown happens to your bones. Calcium (along with other minerals) is leached from bones and teeth because of the increased acidity of the body. Literally pissing away calcium is a major con of high-protein diets because that will have a negative effect on your workouts. Calcium is a necessary mineral for muscle contraction and nerve impulse. Calcium loss can also lead to stress fractures. 

Increased risk of cardiovascular disease

A balanced diet consists of approximately 60% carbs, 25% protein and 15% fats. However, 30% to 50% of calories come from protein on diets like Atkins. That shift also means an increase in fat consumption: up to 50% of calories come from fat, and increased calorie consumption. For every gram of carbohydrates there are four calories compared to nine calories per gram of fat. Meats, cheese and eggs — animal and dairy products — all contain saturated fats and cholesterol, even the leaner varieties. When you think about it, how healthy does eating sausage, egg and cheese for breakfast, a cheeseburger and milkshake for lunch and (let’s say you’re trying to be healthy) a salad for dinner with chicken, egg, bacon bits, nuts, and with Ranch, Caesar or blue cheese dressing sound? Over time, consumption of this sort of diet, along with limited fiber and fruit consumption will raise LDL cholesterol levels and increase the risk of heart disease.

Negative effect on social interactions

Complex and simple carbohydrates are broken down into glucose, which is used for energy. Not getting enough glucose is next on the list of the cons of high-protein diets. Glucose is the only fuel source for your brain (not to mention your boys below the belt). When your brain is lacking that vital nutrient, you become fuzzy and can’t think straight. You also become irritable and cranky, and may experience dizziness, fatigue and headaches. What causes this change in mood is low serotonin levels and tryptophan. That moody and tired disposition definitely doesn’t make you a fun guy to be around. And while you’re telling off your buddies or yelling at your girlfriend, they’ll recoil from your breath. Bad breath is a “symptom” of high-protein diets. The body releases ketones through the lungs as well. Your breath will have a sickly, sweet or alcoholic odor.

Increased risk of constipation

The restriction of carbohydrates on high-protein diets also reduces the amount of fiber you get in your diet. Fruits and grains are considered off-limits. Limited fiber intake can cause constipation, not to mention the dehydration caused by ketosis and limited carbs. Insoluble fiber found in fruits, veggies and whole cereal grains can prevent constipation. Soluble fiber can decrease blood cholesterol. And when you pop those laxatives, you may still have a hard time on the john because diets high in meat can cause hemorrhoids.

HIGH-PROTEIN = HIGH-RISK

Remember, any diet that encourages you to limit or totally eliminate a certain food or food group — such as carbs on a high-protein diet — should be carefully considered before following. The best diet for health, weight management or weight loss is a balanced diet that will not harm vital organs or systems in your body.

Boosting Weight Loss By Limiting Fructose

One of the reasons people on low-carbohydrate diets may lose weight is that they reduce their intake of fructose, a type of sugar that can be made into body fat quickly, according to a researcher at UT Southwestern Medical Center.

Dr. Elizabeth Parks, associate professor of clinical nutrition and lead author of a study appearing in a current issue of the Journal of Nutrition, said her team’s findings suggest that the right type of carbohydrates a person eats may be just as important in weight control as the number of calories a person eats.

Current health guidelines suggest that limiting processed carbohydrates, many of which contain high-fructose corn syrup, may help prevent weight gain, and the new data on fructose clearly support this recommendation.

The study shows for the first time the surprising speed with which humans make body fat from fructose. Fructose, glucose and sucrose, which is a mixture of fructose and glucose, are all forms of sugar but are metabolized differently. According to the study, all three can be made into triglycerides, a form of body fat; however, once you start the process of fat synthesis from fructose, it’s hard to slow it down.

In humans, triglycerides are predominantly formed in the liver, which acts like a traffic cop to coordinate the use of dietary sugars. It is the liver’s job, when it encounters glucose, to decide whether the body needs to store the glucose as glycogen, burn it for energy or turn the glucose into triglycerides. When there’s a lot of glucose to process, it is put aside to process later. Fructose, on the other hand, enters this metabolic pathway downstream, bypassing the traffic cop and flooding the metabolic pathway. It’s a less-controlled movement of fructose through these pathways that causes it to contribute to greater triglyceride synthesis. The bottom line of this study is that fructose very quickly gets made into fat in the body.

Though fructose, a monosaccharide, or simple sugar, is naturally found in high levels in fruit, it is also added to many processed foods. Fructose is perhaps best known for its presence in the sweetener called high-fructose corn syrup or HFCS, which is typically 55 percent fructose and 45 percent glucose, similar to the mix that can be found in fruits. It has become the preferred sweetener for many food manufacturers because it is generally cheaper, sweeter and easier to blend into beverages than table sugar.

The Research Study
For the study, six healthy individuals performed three different tests in which they had to consume a fruit drink formulation. In one test, the breakfast drink was 100 percent glucose, similar to the liquid doctors give patients to test for diabetes – the oral glucose tolerance test. In the second test, they drank half glucose and half fructose, and in the third, they drank 25 percent glucose and 75 percent fructose. The tests were random and blinded, and the subjects ate a regular lunch about four hours later. The researchers found that lipogenesis, the process by which sugars are turned into body fat, increased significantly when as little as half the glucose was replaced with fructose. Fructose given at breakfast also changed the way the body handled the food eaten at lunch. After fructose consumption, the liver increased the storage of lunch fats that might have been used for other purposes.

Foods With Fructose
There are many foods that contain fructose, says Shirley Schmidt, CDE, a diabetes nutrition educator at William Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, Mich. Fructose is a natural sugar found in many fruits and vegetables. Table sugar, or sucrose, is half fructose and half glucose. And as a component of high-fructose corn syrup, fructose is found in everything from soda to fruit drinks, sports beverages, chocolate milk, breakfast cereals, flavored and dessert syrups and toppings, baked goods, candy, jam, sweetened yogurt, and many other packaged convenience foods.

And while it may be true that you’ll gain weight by eating too much of the above fructose-filled foods, you’ll gain weight if you eat too much of any food.

Remember, obesity is caused by a host of environmental, psychological, and physiological factors. All macronutrient food ingredients — fats, carbohydrates, and proteins — will contribute to weight gain when consumed to excess.

1. Limit your consumption of fructose-sweetened beverages and snack foods just as you would any simple carb. Of course, cutting back your total calorie intake wouldn’t hurt either.
2. Keep your total carbohydrate intake to no more than 50% of your daily diet, and make sure that most of those carbs come from fiber-rich sources such as whole grains and vegetables rather than added sugars or processed foods.
3. Reading food labels is a good way to limit your intake of fructose and other sugars.
4. Avoid any packaged food product that lists as one of its first three ingredients anything ending in “ose” — the chemical suffix that indicates “sugar.”
5. To satisfy your sweet tooth, choose fruit instead — “nature’s candy”.

Boosting Weight Loss By Limiting Fructose

One of the reasons people on low-carbohydrate diets may lose weight is that they reduce their intake of fructose, a type of sugar that can be made into body fat quickly, according to a researcher at UT Southwestern Medical Center.

Dr. Elizabeth Parks, associate professor of clinical nutrition and lead author of a study appearing in a current issue of the Journal of Nutrition, said her team’s findings suggest that the right type of carbohydrates a person eats may be just as important in weight control as the number of calories a person eats.

Current health guidelines suggest that limiting processed carbohydrates, many of which contain high-fructose corn syrup, may help prevent weight gain, and the new data on fructose clearly support this recommendation.

The study shows for the first time the surprising speed with which humans make body fat from fructose. Fructose, glucose and sucrose, which is a mixture of fructose and glucose, are all forms of sugar but are metabolized differently. According to the study, all three can be made into triglycerides, a form of body fat; however, once you start the process of fat synthesis from fructose, it’s hard to slow it down.

In humans, triglycerides are predominantly formed in the liver, which acts like a traffic cop to coordinate the use of dietary sugars. It is the liver’s job, when it encounters glucose, to decide whether the body needs to store the glucose as glycogen, burn it for energy or turn the glucose into triglycerides. When there’s a lot of glucose to process, it is put aside to process later. Fructose, on the other hand, enters this metabolic pathway downstream, bypassing the traffic cop and flooding the metabolic pathway. It’s a less-controlled movement of fructose through these pathways that causes it to contribute to greater triglyceride synthesis. The bottom line of this study is that fructose very quickly gets made into fat in the body.

Though fructose, a monosaccharide, or simple sugar, is naturally found in high levels in fruit, it is also added to many processed foods. Fructose is perhaps best known for its presence in the sweetener called high-fructose corn syrup or HFCS, which is typically 55 percent fructose and 45 percent glucose, similar to the mix that can be found in fruits. It has become the preferred sweetener for many food manufacturers because it is generally cheaper, sweeter and easier to blend into beverages than table sugar.

The Research Study
For the study, six healthy individuals performed three different tests in which they had to consume a fruit drink formulation. In one test, the breakfast drink was 100 percent glucose, similar to the liquid doctors give patients to test for diabetes – the oral glucose tolerance test. In the second test, they drank half glucose and half fructose, and in the third, they drank 25 percent glucose and 75 percent fructose. The tests were random and blinded, and the subjects ate a regular lunch about four hours later. The researchers found that lipogenesis, the process by which sugars are turned into body fat, increased significantly when as little as half the glucose was replaced with fructose. Fructose given at breakfast also changed the way the body handled the food eaten at lunch. After fructose consumption, the liver increased the storage of lunch fats that might have been used for other purposes.

Foods With Fructose
There are many foods that contain fructose, says Shirley Schmidt, CDE, a diabetes nutrition educator at William Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, Mich. Fructose is a natural sugar found in many fruits and vegetables. Table sugar, or sucrose, is half fructose and half glucose. And as a component of high-fructose corn syrup, fructose is found in everything from soda to fruit drinks, sports beverages, chocolate milk, breakfast cereals, flavored and dessert syrups and toppings, baked goods, candy, jam, sweetened yogurt, and many other packaged convenience foods.

And while it may be true that you’ll gain weight by eating too much of the above fructose-filled foods, you’ll gain weight if you eat too much of any food.

Remember, obesity is caused by a host of environmental, psychological, and physiological factors. All macronutrient food ingredients — fats, carbohydrates, and proteins — will contribute to weight gain when consumed to excess.

1. Limit your consumption of fructose-sweetened beverages and snack foods just as you would any simple carb. Of course, cutting back your total calorie intake wouldn’t hurt either.
2. Keep your total carbohydrate intake to no more than 50% of your daily diet, and make sure that most of those carbs come from fiber-rich sources such as whole grains and vegetables rather than added sugars or processed foods.
3. Reading food labels is a good way to limit your intake of fructose and other sugars.
4. Avoid any packaged food product that lists as one of its first three ingredients anything ending in “ose” — the chemical suffix that indicates “sugar.”
5. To satisfy your sweet tooth, choose fruit instead — “nature’s candy”.

Have you taken your Vitamin C pill today?

Emerging research is revealing new uses for vitamin C:

- Vitamin C is needed for the integrity and strength of tendons and ligaments
- Lowers release of the cortisol in response to physical stress
- Protecting your blood vessels
- Lowering high blood pressure
- Preventing asthma
- Protecting against cancer
- Supporting healthy blood sugar levels in diabetes
- Stopping blood vessel changes that may lead to a heart disease
Here is something that I find fascinating:

Vitamin C acts in a positive way during every step in the development of heart disease, from inflammation to affecting blood fats to keeping your blood thickness low so as to prevent heart attacks and strokes and memory loss.

And when it comes to cancer protection, vitamin C stops cellular DNA damage that is the vital first step in cancer formation. And more studies recently published work shows that vitamin C supplements enhance the health benefits of exercise.

Vitamin C is an antioxidant that serves to reduce the amount of oxidative damage caused by exercise.

Did you know that muscle weakness is a common symptom of vitamin C deficiency?

Make sure to take your vitamin C before you are heading to the gym. It will increase your performance in the gym, give you strength and your body will recover faster from the physical training.

GOT KETTLEBELLS?

GOT RINGS?

Have you taken your Vitamin C pill today?

Emerging research is revealing new uses for vitamin C:

- Vitamin C is needed for the integrity and strength of tendons and ligaments
- Lowers release of the cortisol in response to physical stress
- Protecting your blood vessels
- Lowering high blood pressure
- Preventing asthma
- Protecting against cancer
- Supporting healthy blood sugar levels in diabetes
- Stopping blood vessel changes that may lead to a heart disease
Here is something that I find fascinating:

Vitamin C acts in a positive way during every step in the development of heart disease, from inflammation to affecting blood fats to keeping your blood thickness low so as to prevent heart attacks and strokes and memory loss.

And when it comes to cancer protection, vitamin C stops cellular DNA damage that is the vital first step in cancer formation. And more studies recently published work shows that vitamin C supplements enhance the health benefits of exercise.

Vitamin C is an antioxidant that serves to reduce the amount of oxidative damage caused by exercise.

Did you know that muscle weakness is a common symptom of vitamin C deficiency?

Make sure to take your vitamin C before you are heading to the gym. It will increase your performance in the gym, give you strength and your body will recover faster from the physical training.

GOT KETTLEBELLS?

GOT RINGS?

Extremely Stupid Fad Diet #3 – The Sex Diet

The recipe
A lot of sex. 8 time a week, on average.

The diet history
A horny fat chick called Kerry McCloskey lost 23lbs bouncing up and down on her husband eight times a week. Technically, it’s not a diet as there are no set foods to eat. Kerry reckons that the diet encourages better nutrition and, since you burn about 200 calories in a 30-minute sex session, it’s an effective way to shift excess blubber. You can also target problem areas by turning basic exercises into foreplay. Moves like the ‘love squat’, for example.

Does it work?
Kerry got some good results from it, but to be honest, we’re pretty skeptical about this ‘diet’. While 30 minutes of exercise every day will no doubt have health benefits; allowing you to eat junk day and night makes this diet a bit of a failure. Any weight loss you do have can probably be written off to ejaculate.
Have you subjected yourself to a painstaking diet with numerous negative side effects in the pursuit of attaining a male model physique? If so, let me know in the comments.

Extremely Stupid Fad Diet #2 – The Backwards Diet

The recipe
Eat dinner for breakfast
Regular meal for lunch
Eat breakfast for dinner

The diet history
Florida porker Tricia Cunningham lost about 170lbs by creating her own ‘reverse’ diet. Like the old adage says, “Eat like a king in the morning, a prince at lunch and a pauper at dinner.”

Does it work?
Well big Tricia went from just under 300lbs to just over 100lbs so it’s fair to say the diet works. Research shows no negative side effects to speak of, but it is definitely one of the hardest diets to stick to due to the complete change of lifestyle and eating habits required to do it. We’re men, and we want a damn steak on the table, cooked rare with some fries, onion rings and maybe a bit of salad to make the whole thing look nice for our dinner. Even though we won’t eat it.

Extremely Stupid Fad Diet #1 – The Lemonade Diet

The recipe
Lemon juice
Cayenne pepper
Maple syrup
Water

The diet history
The lemonade diet was brought into the mainstream by a certain Miss Beyonce Knowles, who wanted to take some junk out of her trunk before filming the flick Dream Girls. Originally named The Master Cleanser Diet, it was created in 1941 by Stanley Burroughs, a health therapist once charged with second-degree murder after a patient died from one of his treatments. The diet eliminate toxins and congestion that have built up in the body and, because you don’t get a complete source of macro-nutrients, it is actually consider fasting rather than a diet.

Does it work?
Well, Beyonce lost 22lbs in 14 days on the diet and a whole host of celebs and normal everyday folk report good results with the diet. The only downsides are feeling lethargic, depressed, lacking focus, dizziness, nausea and the possibility of death. So, good short term weight loss, but the possibility of death makes this a bit of a risk.

Extremely Stupid Fad Diet #3 – The Sex Diet

The recipe
A lot of sex. 8 time a week, on average.

The diet history
A horny fat chick called Kerry McCloskey lost 23lbs bouncing up and down on her husband eight times a week. Technically, it’s not a diet as there are no set foods to eat. Kerry reckons that the diet encourages better nutrition and, since you burn about 200 calories in a 30-minute sex session, it’s an effective way to shift excess blubber. You can also target problem areas by turning basic exercises into foreplay. Moves like the ‘love squat’, for example.

Does it work?
Kerry got some good results from it, but to be honest, we’re pretty skeptical about this ‘diet’. While 30 minutes of exercise every day will no doubt have health benefits; allowing you to eat junk day and night makes this diet a bit of a failure. Any weight loss you do have can probably be written off to ejaculate.
Have you subjected yourself to a painstaking diet with numerous negative side effects in the pursuit of attaining a male model physique? If so, let me know in the comments.

Extremely Stupid Fad Diet #2 – The Backwards Diet

The recipe
Eat dinner for breakfast
Regular meal for lunch
Eat breakfast for dinner

The diet history
Florida porker Tricia Cunningham lost about 170lbs by creating her own ‘reverse’ diet. Like the old adage says, “Eat like a king in the morning, a prince at lunch and a pauper at dinner.”

Does it work?
Well big Tricia went from just under 300lbs to just over 100lbs so it’s fair to say the diet works. Research shows no negative side effects to speak of, but it is definitely one of the hardest diets to stick to due to the complete change of lifestyle and eating habits required to do it. We’re men, and we want a damn steak on the table, cooked rare with some fries, onion rings and maybe a bit of salad to make the whole thing look nice for our dinner. Even though we won’t eat it.

Extremely Stupid Fad Diet #1 – The Lemonade Diet

The recipe
Lemon juice
Cayenne pepper
Maple syrup
Water

The diet history
The lemonade diet was brought into the mainstream by a certain Miss Beyonce Knowles, who wanted to take some junk out of her trunk before filming the flick Dream Girls. Originally named The Master Cleanser Diet, it was created in 1941 by Stanley Burroughs, a health therapist once charged with second-degree murder after a patient died from one of his treatments. The diet eliminate toxins and congestion that have built up in the body and, because you don’t get a complete source of macro-nutrients, it is actually consider fasting rather than a diet.

Does it work?
Well, Beyonce lost 22lbs in 14 days on the diet and a whole host of celebs and normal everyday folk report good results with the diet. The only downsides are feeling lethargic, depressed, lacking focus, dizziness, nausea and the possibility of death. So, good short term weight loss, but the possibility of death makes this a bit of a risk.

Are artificial sweeteners damaging your health?

Russian medics claim that consuming too much sweeteners harms health. Moreover, researchers found seasonal dependence in organism’s reaction on these substances.

Doctors often prescribe artificial sweeteners for prevention and treatment of obesity, diabetes, caries and other diseases, caused by imbalance of carbohydrate metabolism. Healthy people, who dream of losing weight, also eagerly change sugar to its artificial analogues.

However, shift from natural substances to artificial ones changes activity of appropriate enzymes, regulating carbohydrate metabolism – this is the way an organism adapts to new conditions. Russian scientists found out that every activity in an organism, including functioning of enzyme systems, depended on biorhythms.

Laboratory rats, which ate artificial sweeteners without any trace of sucrose, looked and felt very bad. Enzyme activity was highest during spring and summer.

Are artificial sweeteners damaging your health?

Russian medics claim that consuming too much sweeteners harms health. Moreover, researchers found seasonal dependence in organism’s reaction on these substances.

Doctors often prescribe artificial sweeteners for prevention and treatment of obesity, diabetes, caries and other diseases, caused by imbalance of carbohydrate metabolism. Healthy people, who dream of losing weight, also eagerly change sugar to its artificial analogues.

However, shift from natural substances to artificial ones changes activity of appropriate enzymes, regulating carbohydrate metabolism – this is the way an organism adapts to new conditions. Russian scientists found out that every activity in an organism, including functioning of enzyme systems, depended on biorhythms.

Laboratory rats, which ate artificial sweeteners without any trace of sucrose, looked and felt very bad. Enzyme activity was highest during spring and summer.

C’mon now…not the coffee?

Not bad news…

In athletes, caffeine is a controlled / restricted drug. Found naturally in coffee beans, tea leaves, cocoa beans and carbonated drinks it stimulates the central nervous system within 30 to 120 minutes of consumption. While not all studies support the beneficial affects of caffeine, ingesting an amount of caffeine equivalent to 2.5 cups of regular, percolated coffee (330 mg) an hour before exercising has been shown to increase endurance performance on a number of occasions.

As with other stimulants (such as amphetamines) the effect is thought to come from a greater tolerance to fatigue rather than an increase in cardiopulmonary variables. It may also help the body to use fat as a source of fuel thus sparing carbohydrate reserves.

Individuals who do not normally drink coffee or try to avoid dietary intake of caffeine may experience undesirable side effects if they take it in supplemental form. It can produce restlessness, headaches, insomnia, irritability and muscle twitching. Caffeine also acts as a potent diuretic, which may cause pre-exercise fluid loss, negatively affecting performance in a hot climate.

Supplemental caffeine is taken in tablet form rather than drinking coffee. Lower doses (3-6mg per kg body mass) have shown the same beneficial effects as higher doses with a decreased risk of dehydration. Although caffeine is one of the few legal substances with scientific evidence to back it up, there is no reason for athletes to feel they should take it prior to a game or event and should be extra cautious if they maintain a low-caffeine diet.

C’mon now…not the coffee?

Not bad news…

In athletes, caffeine is a controlled / restricted drug. Found naturally in coffee beans, tea leaves, cocoa beans and carbonated drinks it stimulates the central nervous system within 30 to 120 minutes of consumption. While not all studies support the beneficial affects of caffeine, ingesting an amount of caffeine equivalent to 2.5 cups of regular, percolated coffee (330 mg) an hour before exercising has been shown to increase endurance performance on a number of occasions.

As with other stimulants (such as amphetamines) the effect is thought to come from a greater tolerance to fatigue rather than an increase in cardiopulmonary variables. It may also help the body to use fat as a source of fuel thus sparing carbohydrate reserves.

Individuals who do not normally drink coffee or try to avoid dietary intake of caffeine may experience undesirable side effects if they take it in supplemental form. It can produce restlessness, headaches, insomnia, irritability and muscle twitching. Caffeine also acts as a potent diuretic, which may cause pre-exercise fluid loss, negatively affecting performance in a hot climate.

Supplemental caffeine is taken in tablet form rather than drinking coffee. Lower doses (3-6mg per kg body mass) have shown the same beneficial effects as higher doses with a decreased risk of dehydration. Although caffeine is one of the few legal substances with scientific evidence to back it up, there is no reason for athletes to feel they should take it prior to a game or event and should be extra cautious if they maintain a low-caffeine diet.

Probiotics in your diet

Most guys don’t correlate the health of their intestinal tract with their quest for six-pack abs. But maybe they should. Several recently published studies suggest that probiotics–the live bacteria found in yogurt–can help boost immunity, make your body more effective at absorbing nutrients from food, and even alleviate the gas and bloating some guys experience after drinking a protein shake. Even better, a new University of Michigan study reports that eating yogurt a few times a week could reduce the severity of allergies and asthma.

But how do they work? Scientists are not exactly sure but surmise that the good bacteria replace or crowd out the germs or bad bacteria in the intestinal tract. Another theory is that the good bugs keep the intestinal tract acidic where bad bugs can’t survive. Our digestive tracts are lined with more than 400 different kinds of good bacteria that help fight off infection and keep us healthy. The largest group of good bacteria is the one found in yogurt. By consuming foods with probiotics, you can increase the number of healthy bacteria, boost your immunity, and promote a healthy digestive system.

Google: Probiotics

Probiotics in your diet

Most guys don’t correlate the health of their intestinal tract with their quest for six-pack abs. But maybe they should. Several recently published studies suggest that probiotics–the live bacteria found in yogurt–can help boost immunity, make your body more effective at absorbing nutrients from food, and even alleviate the gas and bloating some guys experience after drinking a protein shake. Even better, a new University of Michigan study reports that eating yogurt a few times a week could reduce the severity of allergies and asthma.

But how do they work? Scientists are not exactly sure but surmise that the good bacteria replace or crowd out the germs or bad bacteria in the intestinal tract. Another theory is that the good bugs keep the intestinal tract acidic where bad bugs can’t survive. Our digestive tracts are lined with more than 400 different kinds of good bacteria that help fight off infection and keep us healthy. The largest group of good bacteria is the one found in yogurt. By consuming foods with probiotics, you can increase the number of healthy bacteria, boost your immunity, and promote a healthy digestive system.

Google: Probiotics

80/20 Rule

No one is ever going to have a “perfect” diet, so don’t put that pressure on yourself. Start to build in your favorite foods in moderation. 80% of the time eat the foods and meals that you plan and that you know are going to fuel your body properly. During the other 20% of the time, eat for all of the other reasons we eat like a birthday dinner for a friend, a family get together, or a work happy hour! Know that you have these meals built into your week! Feel good about all the foods you are eating.

80/20 Rule

No one is ever going to have a “perfect” diet, so don’t put that pressure on yourself. Start to build in your favorite foods in moderation. 80% of the time eat the foods and meals that you plan and that you know are going to fuel your body properly. During the other 20% of the time, eat for all of the other reasons we eat like a birthday dinner for a friend, a family get together, or a work happy hour! Know that you have these meals built into your week! Feel good about all the foods you are eating.