MartinsCyberSpace

Category: Body

  • Apologies for not posting for the last few months

    Hi there everybody that is kind enough to visit my personal site and its varied ramblings.

     

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    My apologies for not posting for the last few months, but I have been recovering from a stroke.

    Luckily I am seemingly undamaged, but it knocks the “you know what” out of one and it takes time to get back to normal.

    My intention in writing this short post is not for your sympathy – although of course I appreciate it if you happen to feel that way, but as a warning to all of you who sit at computers for hours at a time like we do.

    Seems long hours over the last year seated at my computer while Susan and I created our new training course on how to start a business and make money online has been the problem.

    (We have not launched as yet, but you are very welcome to get our free training if you wish.)

    Despite being very aware of getting up often because of the threat of deep vein thrombosis, now well known as a problem on long flights, you know how it is – we get caught up and when you look again hours have flown by.

    Well, that is what happened for a few nights in a row for about 5 hours each time and the result was waking up with a deep pain in my calf which turned out to be a DVT (deep vein thrombosis) and shortly after that collapsing with a TIA (transient ischemic attack) or in normal language, a mini stroke.

    This was sudden and let me assure you no fun.

    Please guys, ensure that you have a break at least every half hour for at least ten minutes and move around to get the blood circulating properly.

    While you are at it you may as well also look after your eyes as well, so be sure to look at objects at different distances, otherwise you will soon find your vision is not what it was.

    Anyway that is my story for the day and my warning to you to keep healthy, so please check out the videos below.

    Cheers for now,

    Martin

    DVT Prevention

     

    About Thrombosis: Symptoms and risk factors for deep vein thrombosis (DVT)

  • This Food Additive Makes You 3x More Likely to Be Overweight

    by Mike Geary, Certified Nutrition Specialist & Cat Ebeling, RN, BSN

    co-authors: The FatBurningKitchen

    Before we dive into today’s article, if you don’t already own FatBurningKitchen, make sure to check out the awesome birthday sale we’re having for 1 more day here:

    FatBurningKitchen

     

    What is this food additive?

    There are many chemicals and flavor enhancers in processed foods and those so-called “diet” foods that are packaged as “diet” dinners, desserts, snacks, etc., and many of those are addictive. MSG is one good example. People who eat monosodium glutamate, or MSG, as a flavor enhancer in their food are more likely than others to be overweight or obese even though with the same amount of physical activity and caloric intake, according to a University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Public Health.

    Researchers at UNC and in China studied more than 750 Chinese men and women, aged between 40 and 59, in three rural villages in north and south China. The majority of study participants prepared their meals at home without commercially processed foods. About 82 percent of the participants used MSG in their food. Those users were divided into three groups, based on the amount of MSG they used. The third group who used the most MSG was nearly three times more likely to be overweight than non-users.

    Because MSG is used as a flavor enhancer in many processed foods, studying its potential effect on humans has been difficult. Study participants were chosen from rural Chinese villages because they used very little commercially processed food, but many regularly used MSG in food preparation.

    The bottom line is that you should avoid MSG as much as possible since it can stimulate cravings and lead to weight gain, among other problems.  The best way to avoid MSG is simply to avoid all processed foods.  For some people, that may sound difficult, but it really becomes simple if the only foods that you buy at the grocery store are 1-ingredient foods – that means fresh whole unprocessed foods that are only 1-ingredient instead of processed into dozens of ingredients.

    Among the most common processed ingredients are refined/enriched flour, colors, preservatives (which go by hundreds of different names), and chemical flavorings –which may legally be called “natural flavors” even if they include MSG. (As a side note: most varieties of processed or “textured” soy protein (TSP or TVP) use MSG for flavor and call it “natural flavors.”)

    Many nutrition experts believe that the more refined a food is, the less satisfying it is to the body. Because the body is unable to extract what it needs from denatured, highly processed junk foods, it craves more nourishment. Cravings are usually a signal your body is not getting the nutrients it needs, however, sugars and starches stimulate appetite and increase cravings for sugar — as do most artificial sweeteners.

    Even the best food companies, whose apparent goal is to promote health and wellness, are still in business to make a profit. Corporations selling diet foods and low-cal foods are hardly motivated to make a product that really helps people consume less and get thinner. If they did, their captive audience–people who are overweight–would disappear, taking their money with them.

    So called “diet” products are highly suspect for their harmful and addictive artificial ingredients, and for the elusive promise of “quick, easy” weight loss they promise but almost never fulfill. The only certain way to get lean permanently is to focus on healthy nutrition such as organic fruits and vegetables, raw nuts and seeds, grass-fed meats, free-range poultry and raw dairy products, an active lifestyle, reducing stress, and creating balance and harmony in our lives.

     

    If you liked today’s topic, this is just a sample of the dozens of nutrition topics that we talk about in our program –

    The Fat Burning Kitchen: Your 24-Hour Diet Makeover to Turn Your Body into a Fat-Burning Machine!

    Don’t miss out on the special HALF price birthday sale going on right now for my 36th birthday!  Grab your copy today before the price doubles this week:

    FatBurningKitchen

    Remember that this program also contains a special bonus section — The 23-Day Advanced Fat-Burning Strategies — the exact step by step blueprint of how I went from 10.2% bodyfat to 6.9% bodyfat in 23 days.  This section gives you all of the advanced techniques — everything from the exact foods I ate in what combinations and why, as well as the exact spices, teas, herbs, and other natural metabolism boosting nutrients I used, and the exact advanced workout techniques that burn off ab fat faster than usual.

    This section is PERFECT for the next time you need to lose body fat fast for a wedding, beach vacation, or other event.

    You can read about The 23-Day Advanced Fat-Burning Strategies that comes with The FatBurningKitchen program on this page:

     

    FatBurningKitchen

     

    Enjoy!

    Mike Geary

    Certified Nutrition Specialist

    Certified Personal Trainer

    TruthAboutAbs.com | BusyManFitness.com | AvalancheSkiTraining.com

     

     

    PS – if you liked todays article, please fwd this email on to any of your friends, family, or co-workers that would enjoy it.

  • Healing Miracle for Burns

    Heal Burns

    Healing Miracle for Burns
    Healing Miracle for Burns

    A young man sprinkling his lawn and bushes with pesticides wanted to check the contents of the barrel to see how much pesticide remained in it.

    He raised the cover and lit his lighter; the vapours ignited and engulfed him.

    He jumped from his truck, screaming.

    His neighbour came out of her house with a dozen eggs and a bowl yelling, “Bring me some more eggs!”

    She broke them, separating the whites from the yolks.

     

    The neighbour woman helped her to apply the whites onto the young man’s face.

    When the ambulance arrived and the EMTs saw the young man, they asked who had done this.

    Everyone pointed to the lady in charge.

    They congratulated her and said, “You have saved his face.”

    By the end of the summer, the young man brought the lady a bouquet of roses to thank her. His face was like a baby’s skin.


    Healing Miracle for Burns:

    Keep in mind this treatment to heal burns is being included in teaching beginner fireman.

    First Aid consists of first spraying cold water on the affected area until the heat is reduced which stops the continued burning of all layers of the skin.   Then, spread the egg whites onto the affected area.

    One woman burned a large part of her hand with boiling water. In spite of the pain, she ran cold faucet water on her hand, separated 2 egg whites from the yolks, beat them slightly and dipped her hand in the solution. The whites then dried and formed a protective layer. She later learned that the egg white is a natural collagen and continued during at least one hour to apply layer upon layer of beaten egg white. By afternoon she no longer felt any pain and the next day there was hardly a trace of the burn. 10 days later, no trace was left at all and her skin had regained its normal color.

    The burned area was totally regenerated thanks to the collagen in the egg whites, a placenta full of vitamins.

     

  • 7 Ways to Help You Manage Your Blood Sugar Levels

    7 Ways to Help You Manage Your Blood Sugar Levels

    The sugar in our blood is essential as it serves as food for our body’s cells. The cells in our body, which makes up the structure of our organs – heart, brain, liver, blood vessels, skin, etc. These important organs will not be able to function properly if they are deprived of the necessary energy which comes in the form of blood sugar, or blood glucose.

    However, people should not desire for high amounts of blood glucose; conversely, they should not desire for low blood glucose either. Having high amounts of blood sugar in the blood, a condition known as hyperglycemia, can lead to diseases, such as Diabetes Mellitus, that may cause the development of other diseases. Low levels of blood sugar, or hypoglycaemia, can lead to comatose and seizures, since the brain is deprived of its much-needed energy, which in turn can lead to death.

    Blood glucose levels that are within the normal range is the most desirable. The normal blood glucose level is 64.8 to 104.4 mg/dL. For an average human, blood sugar rises after taking regular meals (to about 135 to 140mg/dL) and this is considered as normal. It is not really difficult to control one’s blood glucose levels, especially if one is not suffering from the hereditary elements of diabetes. All one has to do is take note of the following guidelines:

    • Monitor your Carbohydrate IntakeCarbohydrate is one of the major food nutrients essential to the human body. Carbohydrates, when broken down into functional elements in the digestive tract, turn into glucose. Glucose is the one that is being used by the cells for energy.  A human being needs to eat, since food is necessary for the repair of the body’s cells and for energy. If a normal person binge on food, especially carbohydrates, the body will just store the extra amounts of broken-down carbohydrates, glucose, and keep on maintaining the normal blood levels through the functions of insulin. But there are times when the insulin cannot anymore perform what it supposed to do. If the pancreas produces less insulin, blood glucose cannot be broken down into energy. Glucose will accumulate in the blood and will cause conditions that will result to a disease called Diabetes Mellitus. If someone is experiencing problems with insulin, or if someone is susceptible to insulin problems, like an inherited diabetic problem, it is necessary to monitor one’s intake of carbohydrates, to reduce the amounts of glucose in the blood.
    • Increase Fiber IntakeFiber is actually a carbohydrate; but unlike the usual carbohydrate, fiber is not broken down into glucose, therefore it can help in controlling the levels of blood glucose in the body. Fiber can be found in vegetables, fruits, and whole grain products. In a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, results showed that people who ate at least 50 grams of fiber daily were able to control their blood sugar compared to those who have less fiber in their diet. Having a diet rich in fiber can help in managing blood sugar levels. Research shows that having 20-35 grams of fiber in the diet per day is effective in lowering blood sugar and in reducing the tendencies of having adult-onset Diabetes Mellitus.
    • Indulge in moderate, regular exerciseWhen a person exercises, there is more energy needed by the body. Because energy is the result of breaking down of glucose with the help of insulin, glucose decreases when there is increased consumption of energy through physical activities. When a person engages in moderate, regular exercises, the body will be trained to utilize a constant amount of glucose, with the constant release of insulin by the pancreas that is essential for energy consumption. This will in turn allow the body to manage blood glucose well.
    • Test your Blood Glucose Levels After a Strenuous ActivityParticularly for those who have problems with glucose utilization and insulin production, it is important to constantly monitor blood glucose levels after every strenuous exercise. Since high energy is released by the body during this activity, there is a tendency for blood sugar to decrease to a level that is not enough for a person to function properly. Signs that a person is experiencing hypoglycaemia are feelings of body tremors, irritability, restlessness, extreme hunger and excessive sweating. When blood sugar levels goes lower than the normal range, make sure that quick sugar is within reach. Fruit, juice, hard candy or glucose tablets are good sources of quick sugar.

    • Bananas are Great and Healthy Means to Balance Blood Sugar Levels

      For those experiencing constant low blood sugar, it is recommended that one consume 15 to 20 grams of sugar or carbohydrates to boost ones energy. Among foods that can help in boosting energy but with a lower glycemic index, is banana. Glycemic index is a measurement of the effects of blood sugar after ingesting carbohydrates. High glycemic index foods are those foods that scores from 70 and above. But banana’s glycemic index ranges from 42-51. Snacking on bananas will help in the regulation of blood sugar while at the same time providing the necessary amounts of protein, fiber, vitamins and potassium.

    • Manage your Stress LevelsWhen there is stress, the tendency of the body is to activate the fight and flight response through the sympathetic nervous system. With stress, the heart will pump more blood to supply oxygen to vital organs, the lungs will expand for more air, the blood vessels dilate pushing more blood into the major organs, and the liver that stores glucose to convert it into glycogen will revert back the process so that the major organs will have enough energy to keep on functioning. This means that if stress is increased, blood glucose will also increase since the liver goes into the process called glycogenesis and glycogenolysis. The more stress the person experiences, the higher their blood sugar will be. Because it is impossible to remove stress, a person must learn to manage stress instead; this way, blood glucose level is also controlled.
    • Quit smokingThe study published in 1936 in Canadian Medical Association Journal shows that smoking cigarettes can actually raise the level of a person’s blood sugar. 30 minutes after cigarette smoking, the blood sugar levels of a person would always come down to normal. A research study made in South Korea also shows that those who are smoking have low levels of adiponectin, hormones that has anti-inflammatory and insulin-sensitizing effect. This means that if there are high levels of adiponectin in the body, insulin is more sensitive which could bring about lowered blood sugar levels. With decreased adiponectin due to smoking, blood sugar levels will increase. It is therefore recommended that one stop smoking to control increasing blood sugar.
    Written by Frank Mangano  
    Saturday, 23 July 2011 21:17

    7 Ways to Help You Manage Your Blood Sugar Levels

  • The Diet Solution Review

    The Diet Solution  Review

    The Program that Promises Fat Loss along with an incredible amount of Health and Vitality.  

    Click Here

    By Martin Ellis

     

    The Diet Solution Program promises a complete and comprehensive weight loss program that will not only help you lose body fat, but guarantees you increased energy, health and vitality all at the same time.

    With so many weight loss programs out on the market and on the internet today, what makes this program any different than all the rest?

    Before we get to the program, let’s take a look at the expert behind this program. Isabel De Los Rios is a nutrition and exercise specialist with 10 years of experience helping clients reach their ideal weight and tackle conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, and high cholesterol. Isabel has a very extensive educational background in nutrition and exercise physiology. Her personal experience with her own weight struggles and her mother’s severe diabetes led her search for the BEST nutrition information available today. The Diet Solution Program is a result of her 15 year study and research.

    I’ve also talked to Isabel about her training and education background, and I’ll be honest, it was impressive, unlike other so-called “health experts”, who are just following main stream nutrition programs. Isabel provides her readers with the truth: the facts most people have never taken the time to research, read and decipher.

    Plus, Isabel has been a nutrition and exercise specialist for the past 10 years and has personally worked with hundreds of clients in her own private facility, overseeing successful weight loss programs. This hands on experience with real people solidified the facts and principles she had learned in books, journals and from other health professionals. The proof was really in the results of real people.

    In fact, Isabel’s articles are pretty radical when it comes to her nutrition principles which is why her approach works when main-stream nutrition fails. So if you are looking for the same old nutrition theories taught in every other book and program on the market today, this is not the program for you.

    Now one of the biggest questions about the program is simply, “What is The Diet Solution Program?” Well according to Isabel, it is the most comprehensive and detailed nutrition manual available on the market today. Not only does it teach you exactly what principles you need to follow to finally reach your ideal weight, it gives you the meal plans, shopping lists and recipes to do so. It does not push some extreme, unreasonable way to lose weight. It actually teaches you how you can make this healthy way of eating into a lifestyle. And if you have ever attempted to lose weight in the past, you know that the only way to maintain it is to make it a way of life. The best part about Isabel’s program is that this new way of life is not some torturous eating regimen. She really shows you that you can eat delicious food, combined the right way, to lose weight and maintain it.

    One of the best side effects of the whole program is the increased health and vitality that every participant experiences. Decreases in blood sugar levels, lowered cholesterol, increased energy, elimination of digestive discomfort and cleared skin conditions are just some of the few benefits other people have already experienced.

    Frankly, I’ve used the program myself and recommended to many others. Why? Because I was sick and tired of following nutrition plans that either did not work or made me lose weight but feel terrible. Yes, I want to be at my ideal weight but I also want to maintain a healthy body at the same time and not have to resort to extreme, radical methods. The Diet Solution Program helped me lose weight and feel healthy and energized at the same time.

    Now realize that some effort from you will be required, but Isabel has really done all the hard work for you. Included in her program is:

    ■Step by step action steps telling you exactly how to put the principles in place
    ■Detailed daily meal plans that make everyday eating easy
    ■Shopping Lists to make food shopping a snap
    ■Delicious Recipes to make everyday meals tasty
    The manual is comprehensive. Jam packed with incredible and valuable information. But you don’t need to wait to get through the whole thing before you can start. You can use Isabel’s Quick Start Guide to start the program ASAP. Some people have even just used the quick start guide and lost 10-15lbs in a little as 6 weeks.

    The Diet Solution Program is not just another weight loss scheme or extreme diet. It is truly the only way to lose weight and enjoy a lifetime of health. The Diet Solution Program is perfect for people who have struggled with their weight their whole life and are sick and tired of programs that just don’t work long term. The DSP is also perfect for people who want to take control of their health and reverse health conditions like diabetes, high cholesterol and heart disease.

    If you’re in the slightest bit curious, I recommend you look closely at Isabel’s program. I was very impressed with all of The Diet Solution Program meal plans, the bonuses, the guarantee, and Isabel’s expertise. For the money, it’s the best deal in the weight loss industry – so much better than diet pills! And remember…

    Isabel De Los Rios’s Program is backed by a 60 day money back guarantee. So you really have nothing to lose.

    And this is a real guarantee… if you are not completely satisfied with The Diet Solution, you will receive your money back, no “ifs,” “ands,” or “buts.”  

    Click Here

  • Good Trans Fats vs. Bad Trans Fats

    Artificial trans fats are one of the most prevalent poisons in our food supply;  but most don’t know that healthy natural trans fats DO exist.

    by Mike Geary, Certified Nutrition Specialist, Certified Personal Trainer
    Author – The Truth about Six Pack Abs

    I’m going to talk about something today that most of you have probably never heard… that there is a distinction between good trans fats and bad trans fats. There is some evidence that the good trans fats can help you with fat loss, muscle building, and even cancer prevention, while the bad trans fats have been shown to cause heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and the general “blubbering” of your body.

    I’m sure most of you have heard all of the ruckus in the news over the last few years about just how bad man-made trans fats are for your health. If you’ve been a reader of my newsletter and my Truth about Six Pack Abs e-book program, then you definitely know my opinion that these substances are some of the most evil food additives of all and are found in the vast majority of all processed foods and fast foods on the market today.

    In my opinion, man-made trans fats are right up there with smoking in terms of their degree of danger to your health. After all, they are one of THE MAIN factors for the explosion of heart disease since approximately the 1950’s.

    With all of the talk about trans fats in the news these days, I wanted to clarify some things, particularly regarding bad trans fats vs. good trans fats. If you’ve never heard of good trans fats before, let me explain in a bit.

    The Bad Trans Fats

    First, the bad trans fats I’m referring to are the man-made kind. These are represented by any artificially hydrogenated oils. The main culprits are margarine, shortening, and partially hydrogenated oils that are in most processed foods, junk foods, and deep fried foods.

    These hydrogenated oils are highly processed using harsh chemical solvents like hexane (a component of gasoline), high heat, pressure, have a metal catalyst added, and are then deodorized and bleached. A small % of the solvent is allowed to remain in the finished oil. This has now become more of an industrial oil rather than a food oil, but somehow the FDA still allows the food manufacturers to put this crap in our food at huge quantities, even with the well documented health dangers.

    These hydrogenated oils cause inflammation inside of your body, which signals the deposition of cholesterol as a healing agent on artery walls. Hence, hydrogenated oil = inflammation = clogged arteries. You can see why heart disease has exploded since this crap has been loaded into our food supply over the last 5 to 6 decades.

    As time goes on, and science continues to unveil how deadly these oils really are, I feel that eventually they will be illegal and banned from use. The labeling laws were just the first step. In fact, certain countries around the world have already banned the use of hydrogenated oils in food manufacturing or at least set dates to phase them out for good.

    However, keep in mind that as companies are starting to phase out the use of hydrogenated oils in processed foods, they are replacing them, in most instances, with highly refined polyunsaturated oils such as soybean oil, cottonseed oil, corn oil, etc, etc. These are still heavily processed oils using high heat, solvents, deodorizers, and bleaching agents. Even refined oils are known to produce inflammation in your body…a far cry from natural sources of healthy fats.

    Don’t be fooled by the new onslaught of foods claiming “trans fat free”… if they use heavily refined oils (even if they’re non-hydrogenated), it’s still pure evil for your body, and very inflammatory. 

    Once again, for the best results, your best bet is avoiding highly processed foods altogether and choose whole, natural, minimally processed foods. Your body will thank you!

    The Good Trans Fats

    Ok, after having trash talked the man-made trans fats, let me clearly state that there is such a thing as healthy natural trans fats. Natural trans fats are created in the stomachs of ruminant animals such as cattle, sheep, goats, etc. and make their way into the fat stores of the animals.

    Therefore, the milk fat and the fat within the meat of these animals can provide natural healthy trans fats (best in grass-fed organic versions only).

    Natural trans fats in your diet have been thought to have some potential benefit to aid in both muscle building and fat loss efforts. However, keep in mind that the quantity of healthy trans fats in the meat and dairy of ruminant animals is greatly reduced by mass-production methods of farming and their grain and soy heavy diets. Meat and dairy from grass-fed, free-range animals always have much higher quantities of these beneficial fats.

    One such natural trans fat that you may have heard of is called conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) and has been marketed by many weight loss companies. Keep in mind that these man-made CLA pills you see in the stores may not be the best way to get CLA in your diet. They are artificially made from plant oils in a manner similar to hydrogenation, instead of the natural process that happens in ruminant animals. Once again, man-made just doesn’t compare to the benefits of natural sources.

    Here’s a great site I found that I use to order all of my healthy grass-fed beef and other free range meats.  The service is impeccable and they deliver right to your doorstep in a sealed cooler. It’s worth it to know that you and your family are actually eating meat that’s good for you instead of the normal grocery store junk.

    Now that all of your labels should be listing grams of trans fat, keep in mind that if a quantity of trans fat is listed on a meat or dairy product, it is most likely the natural good trans fats that we’ve discussed here (*I only recommend grass-fed meat or dairy). Otherwise, if the quantity of trans fat is listed on any processed foods, it is most likely the dangerous unhealthy crap from artificially hydrogenated oils, so stay away!  

    One more important note about food labels and trans fat listings… keep in mind that food manufacturers are allowed to label a food “trans fat free” if 1 serving size contains less than 0.5 grams of trans fat.  So you may see some products with hydrogenated oils as one of their main ingredients, but if they make the serving size small enough so that it contains less than 0.5 grams of trans fat per serving, they can label it as trans fat free… now that’s BS!  just another example of our broken system!

    If you liked this article, please click the “Like” button below for Facebook:

    Here’s some more great reading material about eating a truly natural and healthy diet for you and your family:

    Nourishing Traditions – by Sally Fallon and Dr. Mary Enig

    Eat Fat, Lose Fat – by Sally Fallon and Dr. Mary Enig

    Also, if you haven’t read it yet, be sure to read this eye-opening article about saturated fat truths by Dr. Mary Enig (one of the best nutrition articles I’ve read)

    I hope you’ve enjoyed this interesting look at good trans vs. bad trans fats and use the info to arm yourself with more healthful food choices for a better body.

    If you have yet to check out my internationally best-selling program, The Truth about Six Pack Abs, clickety-click on over and see how this program will burn fat off of your entire body, leaving you with abs that your friends will envy!

     

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    Good Trans Fats vs. Bad Trans Fats

  • Longevity Gene May Boost Memory

    Paris – A gene linked to increased life span through calorie restriction also appeared to play a critical role in boosting memory and brain power, according to a study published on Sunday. A protein encoded by the SIRT1 gene has been shown in laboratory experiments to help slow the ageing process in rodents. Called Sirtuin1 in humans, that same enzyme seems to enhance memory and nerve-cell development in the brain as well, according to the new findings, published in the peer-reviewed journal Nature. The work could provide leads for drugs to combat Alzheimer’s and other debilitating neurological diseases, the researchers said. A team led by Li-Huei Tsai, director of the neurobiology programme at MIT in Boston, had earlier demonstrated that Sirtuin1 boosts neuron survival in mice genetically modified to mimic certain degenerative brain disorders. “We have now found that SIRT1 activity also promotes memory and plasticity,” Tsai said, referring to the ability of healthy brain cells to interconnect. “This result demonstrates a multi-faceted role of SIRT1 in the brain, further highlighting its potential as a target for the treatment of conditions with impaired cognition.” Memory tests Tsai examined behaviour and brain development in mice deficient in the SIRT1 gene in experiments. Compared to normal mice, they reacted poorly to electrical stimulation in the hippocampus, which is critical to long-term memory and spatial navigation. In Alzheimer’s, the hippocampus is one of the first regions in the brain to be damaged. The gene-altered lab mice also had reduced density of neuron development, a key measure of brain activity. They were less able to discriminate old from new objects in memory tests. “SIRT1 deficient mice are impaired in all three memory paradigms compared to control mice,” Tsai explained. The study also unveiled a previously unknown mechanism: by keeping certain gene regulators called mircoRNAs in check, the SIRT1 gene allows the memory-enhancing proteins to be expressed. The results are preliminary, Tsai cautioned, saying it was still too early to design clinical trials with humans.

    SAPA

  • The Truth About Cholesterol

     Cholesterol

     

    I am going to let you in on something shocking. Cholesterol is not the major culprit in heart disease. I know this may be hard to believe after all we have heard about the dangers of high cholesterol from our doctors, and the media. But the truth is, it is not the cholesterol levels themselves or the cholesterol containing foods that are the culprits in heart disease, it is those foods and any other thing that causes inflammation in your body that is the major cause of heart disease (as well as diabetes and high blood pressure).

    What is cholesterol and why do we need it?

    Cholesterol is a soft, waxy substance found among the lipids (fats) in the bloodstream and in all your body’s cells. It’s an important part of a healthy body because it’s used to form cell membranes. Cholesterol also aids in the manufacture of bile (which helps digest fats), and is also important for the metabolism of fat soluble vitamins, including vitamins A, D, E and K. It is the major precursor for the synthesis of vitamin D and of the various steroid hormones (which include cortisol and aldosterone in the adrenal glands, and the sex hormones progesterone, the various estrogens, testosterone, and derivatives ).

    How could something so good be so bad?

    Cholesterol has been wrongly accused because upon inspection of the arteries of someone at risk for a heart attack, levels of cholesterol and plaque build up are very high. Cholesterol is actually being transported to tissues as part of an inflammatory response that is there to repair damage. It will only lodge itself onto the artery and cause plaque if the artery has become damaged. Inflammation in the artery is what causes this damage. In fact, it is now known that the coronary disease that causes heart attacks is now considered to be caused mostly from chronic inflammation.

    To blame cholesterol for heart attacks would be the equivalent of blaming increased police security in a high crime area. It was not the police that caused the crime, they were just placed there in response to the crimes.

    A more important question to ask ourselves, is how do we decrease the amount of inflammation in our bodies so that cholesterol will not bind to our arteries?

    We must decrease all of those things that we do that cause inflammation and increase things that decrease inflammation. First and foremost we must stay away from foods that cause inflammation in our bodies. Any food that causes a fast rise in blood insulin levels will quickly cause inflammation in the body. These foods are sugar, white breads, most dairy products and almost all packaged and processed foods. What does this leave you with? Fresh, wholesome foods such as fruits, vegetables, lean animal proteins, nuts, and lots and lots of water. Also, taking in lots of omega-3 rich foods will dramatically decrease inflammation in the body (salmon, organic eggs, walnuts and sardines).

    What about your cholesterol medication?

    Some may be thinking, it is just easier to take a pill and not have to change what I am eating. But you may want to think twice considering the side effects of statins (cholesterol lowering drugs). The most common side effects reported are fatigued, headaches, nausea and the most common of them all, severe muscular pains and muscular degeneration. If you remember that cholesterol is essential for the formation of cell membranes, taking a drug that is drastically lowering cholesterol may be causing membrane damage in neural and muscle tissue. Most people on statins complain of neck, back or leg pain.

    Millions of Americans are now on cholesterol lowering drugs, but the number of people suffering from heart attacks and heart disease is only increasing. Let’s take a personal responsibility for our health and truly get to the root of the problem. Managing your diet and staying away from those foods that are causing an inflammatory response in your body is your first step to decreasing your chance of heart disease and heart attacks.

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    CLICK The Diet Solution Program for real in depth information

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    Isabel De Los Rios is one of America’s top nutrition experts and educators and the author of TheDietSolutionProgram.com. She has helped hundreds of people lose weight when no other program could. Don’t miss her Free Report “The Top 5 Essential Truths You Must Know Before You Go on Any Diet Ever Again.”

    Isabel is the owner of New Body – Center for Fitness and Nutrition in NJ where she has personally educated and coached hundreds of people to realize their weight, health and fitness goals.

    As a nutrition specialist and lifestyle coach it is Isabel’s passion to educate, motivate and inspire people of all types to take daily action in order to realize their physical and personal dreams and goals.

    *******************************************************************

    CLICK The Diet Solution Program for real in depth information

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    CLICK to check out the information below, it might surprise you.

    Is butter good or bad fat?

    Coconut oil can help you lose fat

    Does fat make you fat?

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  • Antioxidants – Add A Lean, Muscular Body To The List Of Benefits!

    I’m sure by now you’ve heard all about the amazing health benefits of antioxidant rich foods in your diet.

    Not only do these free-radical fighting antioxidants help you look and feel younger by slowing down the aging process, but they also help to prevent cancer, heart disease, and loads of other degenerative diseases. But that’s not all. Antioxidants also help you to recover better from exercise…and that means more muscle and less fat on your body in the long run!

    The function that antioxidants play in aiding your recovery from exercise is the inhibition of free radicals produced during exercise. Any time you workout, free radicals are produced in the body that damage muscle tissue. Having an adequate supply of antioxidants about an hour or so before your workout can greatly reduce the muscle damage caused by free radicals, hence, improving your muscular recovery from exercise.

    Some of the most potent sources of whole food antioxidants are berries (blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, cranberries), cherries, acai fruit, various teas (green tea, oolong tea, white tea, black tea, and red tea – a.k.a. rooibos tea), nuts, seeds, red and black beans, purple potatoes, grapes, red wine, cinnamon, and dark chocolate or cocoa. Don’t be fooled by all of the intense marketing for expensive antioxidant supplement pills…remember whole foods are always better for you (and cheaper) than a pill.

    My favorite pre-workout antioxidant-loaded snack is a piece of whole grain toast with almond butter, a small amount of blackberry jam, and topped with a pile of fresh blueberries or sliced strawberries. I wash it down with a glass of iced green tea or rooibos tea sweetened with just a small bit (about a teaspoon) of raw honey. This is literally a quintuple-whammy of potent anti-oxidants! The almond butter, blackberry, blueberries, raw honey, and the green or rooibos tea are all loaded with different varieties of muscle protecting, youth promoting antioxidants. I throw down this snack about an hour before my training. Give it a try for yourself, or be creative and come up with your own antioxidant-rich pre-workout snack based on your tastes.

    Remember, your body is continually bombarded every day by free radicals (creating oxidative stress) from exercise, air pollution, smoke, sun exposure, junk food, exposure to chemicals, etc. To reap the full benefits of antioxidants, try to make sure that every meal and snack you eat has at least one or two sources of antioxidant rich foods. This will give you a continuous supply of antioxidants throughout every day to prevent damage from the free radicals you are constantly exposed to.

    Antioxidants are just one piece to the puzzle of a healthy diet that will give you the lean, muscular, youthful, and disease-free body that everyone wants. To discover the secrets behind all of the other pieces to the diet puzzle that create a lean body (macronutrient profile, glycemic response, hormonal response, glycogen storage, muscle protein synthesis, the role of leptin, the insulin process, etc.), visit

    Truth about Six Pack Abs

     

    Michael Geary is a nationally dual certified personal trainer (NCSF-CPT, AFAA-CPT), and author of “The Truth about Six Pack Abs” ©2004-2005

     

    Antioxidants = A Lean, Muscular Body!