Weight Control 1 – Consumption

There is no question that diet is one of the most important factors in weight control. Sure there are others as mentioned in my recent overview being: hormones, exercise, mindset, and metabolic set point. However, what you put in your mouth is still the most important aspect. It needs to be done in conjunction with the other factors listed so it’s still not necessarily going to work on its own, but diet is still number one.

There is so much misinformation out there. There have been so many diets mass marketed in say the last twenty years. I actually believe many of them are quite good if they are right for your situation and again, done with due regard to the other factors. Some are simply ridiculous though, like soup diets. Really, how can you both lose and maintain ideal weight after a week or two of only consuming soup? This is nuts. While we call get tired of the word diet, it’s still the most appropriate word when it stands for a varied, natural, regular, balanced, healthy eating plan.

Does calorie counting work? Yes, but only if your other factors are in balance, and only if they are healthy, balanced calories. Portion control can be part of this, but when you think about it logically, you really only need portion control when your eating behaviour is imbalanced or you are eating high calorie (particularly carbohydrate) meals. If you are eating super healthy, low calorie, natural foods you can eat as much as you like! Try it if you don’t believe me. Do you reckon (this is a bit extreme) someone who eats lettuce, broccoli, tomato, carrot with a moderate amount of fish or chicken each meal for a week is going to put on weight? No way. All things being equal, they would more than likely lose a kilo or two.

I believe the single biggest dietary factor in weight control today is the ratio between carbohydrates, fats and protein. Many moderns diets (and worse still the way-too-powerful processed food industry) continually try to warn against fat consumption. So many of the products on the supermarket shelves are “no fat” or “low fat”. This is not only ridiculous, it’s simply not relevant! Fats are not the enemy; it’s more the lack of balance, particularly meal preparation that is low or void in protein and high in carbohydrates. The U.S. Department of Health Services recommends the following ratio(s) for optimum health:

Protein 10 – 35%
Fat 20 – 35%
Carbs 45 – 65%

So where in those figures does “no fat” sound like a good idea? Even “low fat” seems somewhat irrelevant. The 20-35% range is certainly not high, but it’s not that low either. We just have to be smart and look at our energy needs. These ratios may shift quite dramatically for a professional bodybuilder and again for a marathon runner. However, most of us are neither of those so we need to look at our energy needs. If you are the average person who is not getting regular exercise and is already overweight you still need carbohydrates but any “bad” ones like sugary foods, chocolate and soft drinks are going to put your energy intake way above what you need (and be stored as fat). Yet, you could get plenty of carbohydrates from fresh vegetables. You don’t even need the starchy carbs such as breads, pastas and rice as your body just wants to store them as fat if you are already overweight.

The other side of the equation is not enough protein. Even if you are being a little bit naughty and having a high-carbohydrate snack, have some protein with/or after it. From high protein/low carb diets I have experienced like the Ultralight and Dukan Diets this is magical. For example, say my resolve broke down in the evening and I reached for the dreaded potato crisps, I would have a nice couple of slices of cheese (seen as protein food although does contain fat). Amazingly, even though you are adding additional calories with the cheese you are actually less likely to put on weight because the protein was there. I won’t go into the science of this as it is quite involved but it just works. Best of all, the more protein you eat the less hungry you feel. For carbohydrates it is the opposite!

We all need to drink more water. It’s not just for hydration and the fact that most metabolic processes create water that ends up in waste (urine). It’s because when you up your protein content these molecules are a bit harder and slower to break down and can thus be harder for your kidneys to filter. Without the water, this can cause long term kidney damage.

So in conjunction with your healthcare professional, if you want to lose weight, up your protein and make sure you consume some protein every time you eat and even when you drink if the drink is not calorie-neutral. Drink at least 1.5 – 2 litres of water and cut down on bad carbs but retain your fats. As soon as you eat sugar or have that chocolate bar or glass of beer, you put your metabolism into a spin and blow your calorie quota for that day. The least you can do is have some protein as well. Eat unprocessed foods and watch your pH balance. When your body is slightly alkaline it seems to even out your metabolism nicely, whereas highly acidic bodies always seem to accumulate fat.

De-tox your Life

I believe one of the biggest health issues today is toxicity.  The increased consumption of processed (basically unnatural) foods, genetically modified foods, prescription and recreational drugs, and alcohol, coupled with less exercise and increased stress means that people are developing and retaining more and more toxins.  Whilst our body is generally very good at purging toxins, once it gets overloaded you may notice conditions like weight gain and skin breakouts right through to diseases like cancer.

The main saviours of a toxic system are organs like the liver, kidneys, spleen and our skin.  This high-performing team will do the job if you let it and detoxify your body.  The trick is, this can only happen if your body is purging toxins faster than you take them in, that is, a net loss of toxins on a daily basis.  Ideally we would all be better off toxin-free but one would imagine this scenario to be virtually impossible.  So how do we do it?

The net toxic loss I mention essentially then means two steps – stop putting toxins in and purging the old toxins out.  As I said, your body is good at getting rid of this waste but is assisted greatly by eating real organic foods, drinking plenty of water (daily at least 1.5 litres) and exercising regularly.  I also recommend being more aware of your portions not just from a weight control perspective, but to simply go easier on your digestive organs giving them the space to do their thing.  Similarly with the timing and speed of meals.  Eating late and ramming food down your throat must be tougher on your digestive system.  It may also be worth considering a specific liver/kidney cleansing diet(s) like the type espoused by Dr Sandra Cabot.

This leaves us with simply putting less toxins in.  Essentially, toxins can come in through what we ingest, through our skin, and through our bodily orifices.  It’s not enough to eat well some of the time if you consume a lot of processed food.  A fantastic naturopath I used to see called it “caveman food”.  If a caveman could access it, then it’s okay for all of us.  We have become so far removed from what real food is we should be ashamed.  For example, I have been informed that the “apparently” beautiful salmon that is farmed in my home state of Tasmania (which has such a clean/green image) has a naturally white flesh.  Yet, when you buy it at the supermarket it is a pink colour which I’m told is due to a food dye!  Why do intelligent beings mess with such an amazing food in the name of aesthetics?  I just don’t get it.  We must return to caveman food.

The even more hidden danger is over other parts of our body.  I have seen children in parts of Asia swim or bath in water that most of us  wouldn’t put our dog in.  They may not have another option, but many of us do.  We need to be aware that water carrying all types of germs can enter through our eyes, ears, mouth, nose, genitals and anus.  Some pathogens can penetrate our skin as well.  Have you ever bleached your hair, washed with shampoo, used deodorant, etc.?  chances are you have fed your body heavy metals, carcinogens and a host of other molecules that it doesn’t recognise, or know how to process.  That’s the issue, our de-tox team only knows how to deal with naturally occurring molecules.  Anything foreign typically gets stored in the liver and in fat cells away from our organs so they are protected.

Be the caveman, not just with your diet but with what you put on your skin and hair.  Be aware of what you immerse yourself in.  Ask your healthcare professional what’s in any prescriptions you are given and ask for alternatives where you can that are more natural.  Avoid radiation where possible also.  Drink fresh water and investigate chelates (bind and remove heavy metals).  EXERCISE!  This is not just for your heart and weight control.  Exercise draws toxins away from your core where your organs are and transports them out to your extremities.  From there, the magic of sweat helps take them out of your body whilst doubling as a cooling aid.  It’s a brilliant machine your body, just give it the best environment you can!

Weight Control Overview

There are so many aspects to weight loss and weight control that you really almost need a post-graduate degree to have any chance of success. So if you are one of the masses who has ever struggled or continues to struggle with your weight please give yourself some respite because I’m guessing for most of you this is not your area of expertise.

I have the philosophy of always looking at myself as a work-in-progress. At heart I am a perfectionist and strive for the best outcome in everything I do, but sometimes the sculpture you are creating takes more time, more education and some hiccups along the way. However, you are worth it and the results are worth it.

Two years ago I was 106 kg and back in 2003 I was out to 112 kg with all kinds of fluctuations and diets in between. I woke every morning with a headache, had high cholesterol levels and slightly elevated blood pressure, skin problems, back problems, and so on. Now I weigh 85 kgs, with no headaches, my back is fine and my skin is still improving. I haven’t had my cholesterol checked again yet but I’m betting there is marked improvement.

I believe body weight is affected by the following:
1. Diet (all consumption including food, drinks, medications and supplements;
2. Exercise – You can live without it for a while but the fact is we are designed to move.
3. Current Metabolic Set Point – I call it this, but other terms are regularly used.
4. Hormones – There are more than people realise that affect our weight – insulin, leptin, grehlin to name a few.
5. Mindset.

The critical thing to note is that we need an wholistic approach that ensures we have a strategy across all five of the above areas because in this complex system that is the human body they all interact. There’s no point on working on any less than the whole five points listed otherwise you are literally doomed to fail which is why so many diets and exercise regimes don’t work.

In coming posts I will go into each of these in more detail. For now however, even though I was being honestly supportive with the earlier work-in-progress comments, it’s time to give up certain excuses that may be holding you back. We’ve all heard (and maybe said) things like:
“It’s just the way I’m built”
“It’s genetic, look at my (father, mother…)”
“I’ve simply got big bones” (possibly my all-time favourite)
“I can’t exercise, I’ve got bad (knees, ankles, hip…)”
“I just don’t have time”
“My hormones are all stuffed up, it’s impossible for me”
“I can’t diet, I hate/can’t eat/am allergic to…”

Sound familiar? Let’s go on a journey of discovery and improve our education, motivation, self-esteem, and life a much healthier life. Watch this space!

Beware of Fructose!

It’s scary to consider that Australians consume on average around 31 teaspoons of sugar (both added and natural) each day! (Saxelby, Catherine http://www.ahm.com.au/content/showpagenum.asp?page=9782 June 8, 2013) What’s worse is that about 75% (Ibid) of this sugar intake comes from packaged and pre-prepared foods and drinks. Convenience could well be killing us! Certainly some sugar is fine and most nutritionists recommend we have around 10-12% of our daily energy intake from sugars which equates to around 50 grams or 12 teaspoons. Still sounds quite a bit doesn’t it?

It is quite an amount, but on a positive note it just shows how good our body (especially the liver) is at handling excesses and toxins. Most carbohydrates we consume end up being broken down into the monosaccharides glucose and fructose (galactose is another). Put simply, healthy amounts of glucose are easily absorbed into the bloodstream and if not metabolised quickly end up as stored glycogen in the liver, body fat and muscles for fuel reserves. Nothing untoward here, as long as the glucose intake is not excessive as mentioned.

But what about fructose? This simple sugar is certainly naturally occurring in good stuff we eat like fruit and honey. Unfortunately, much of the excess sugar we eat in the form of soft drinks, energy drinks, and other processed foods, comes in the form of fructose. Firstly, this fructose if not metabolised in the liver, ends up in the small and large intestines. In the large intestine it literally ferments and can cause bloating, diarrhoea, flatulence, and gastrointestinal pain. Worse still for weight control, fructose is starting to loom as a major enemy.

There is now evidence that excess fructose can cause insulin resistance and obesity, plus elevated LDL cholesterol and triglycerides then ultimately a condition known as metabolic syndrome. Essentially, with metabolic syndrome the insulin resistance can cause diabetes and really mess with the body’s ability to properly process glucose as well. What often happens then is it becomes a vicious cycle. People put on weight, exercise less, get depressed, eat more refined sugars, develop cardiovascular disease, put on weight… and on it goes.

So as always my solution is to eat natural, unprocessed foods. Drink plenty of water, and enjoy plenty of fruit but watch your honey intake. Remember that all sugars are acid-forming in the body so they should be kept to a minimum anyway. And please, lay off the soft drinks! They will leach minerals out of your bones and could well be the thing that leads you down the slippery slope towards metabolic syndrome.

Benefits of a Cold Shower

In many cultures the proverbial “cold shower” is something you have, or maybe are told to have, when you are getting a bit frisky or aroused. But are there health benefits as well? Could there be more to the saying than we are led to believe? Some people swear by the virtues of a cold shower so let’s investigate why.

Firstly, it’s hard to find negatives at all with the exception of existing or unmasked cardio-vascular issues such as heart disease, high cholesterol, angina, etc. If you are, or think you might be susceptible to conditions like this or similar (particularly with age), please see your healthcare professional before jumping into a cold shower. Studies show that most heart attacks occur in the morning, particularly in the shower or at the breakfast table. (Arif, Dr Imran http://phys.org/news142791169.html October 9, 2008)

Beyond that it all seems to be upside. In my own experience I have a full shower at a moderate temperature and simply give it an 8-10 second cold blast at the end at which time I rotate to give myself maximum exposure and to share the “cold load”. This exercise certainly leaves me feeling very alert, yet relaxed. Within seconds of finishing, my skin becomes flushed with blood giving me a warm glow all over. I leave the shower feeling really vibrant and ready to take on the day. What happens also from this short blast is that gradually the rest of my showers are subsequently getting cooler and cooler as I adapt and no longer feel comfortable with a hot shower. When it’s too hot now I notice how sluggish I am, with a corresponding sluggish attitude.

Other reported benefits of proponents of cold showers claim greater clarity of mind, increased alertness and fearlessness among other things. Obviously, there is the potential side benefit of saving money on your electricity bills. Some people claim increased immunity, improved metabolism, improved circulation, improved temperature regulation, increased testosterone (men), increased fertility, increased energy, improved lymphatic movement, better sleep, improved stress tolerance, improved breathing, decreased inflammation, relief from depression and better skin and hair. What a list!

So next time you are after a cheap and easy general health tonic, with proper guidance try a cold shower or cold shower blast. It’s no wonder elite athletes have their ice baths, and this treatment is open to everyone.

Lymph Nodes & Body Fat

Weight control is difficult for many people these days. I’ve been there, and tried several different diets with varying success. When we are frustrated with our weight, among other things it often can feel like certain parts of our body are prone to store fat. You’ve heard the terms – “mud guts”, “thunder thighs”, “cankles” and so on. Is it so, do we only store fat on certain “hard-to-move” parts of our body? The answer I believe is yes, but only to a certain degree and there is a good reason why. Firstly, when you are on a controlled weight loss program this normally involves taking measurements around various body parts as well as getting on the scales. Even if you think your arms for example, are fantastic, you still find when you are losing weight you will lose size around your upper arms because there is excess fat there. If we are in fat storing mode, it tends to deposit over most of our body. What then, causes those really obvious areas we always seem to have trouble with?

Have you ever studied the human lymphatic system? This wonderful system is responsible for removing much of the waste from our bodies. It filters out dead bacteria, dead tissue, viruses, etc. and helps them pass from the body. But what happens when this system cannot cope and why does this happen? There is a little known but devious condition called “fatty liver”. The liver is also responsible for removing dead and unhealthy cells, cancer cells, toxic chemicals, heavy metals, bacteria, parasites and fat among other things. When the liver becomes overloaded with these items say from long-term medication, chemical exposure or similar, they have to go somewhere. The human body is very smart and resilient. These toxins are sent out into the lymphatic system where they often settle around the lymph nodes. To protect the body, these toxins end up binding to fat cells. To neutralise their possible effects, the toxins in turn attract water and then more fat. This can then become a vicious cycle.

Our body has most of its lymph nodes in areas like the neck, armpits, chest, abdomen, arms, pelvis, inner and outer thighs, and down the back of the legs. So where do you put on, or store fat?  If you have a particularly tough area, rather than think “oh, that’s just me”, consider that the extra you is probably near some lymph nodes. This in turn could mean you have a fatty liver, especially if you show some of the classic symptoms like difficult weight loss, weight gain, fatigue, increased blood pressure, bloating, skin issues, and the list goes on. Don’t make calories your total focus, detox yourself, particularly your liver and your hard-to-lose weight will surprise you. Read books from people like Dr Sandra Cabot, a leading authority in this area. Talk to your health professional about the many things you can do to detox your liver and watch the fat move and uncover a new you!

Hydration

Most people know to some degree how important hydration is, but how many of us actually manage our hydration properly? Popular diets usually instruct followers to consume at least 1.5 litres of water a day or more. Many of the molecules in our body are made up of Carbon (C), Hydrogen (H) and Oxygen (O) atoms and we all know water is H2O. Catabolic (breaking down) processes in the body often create water as a by-product which passes out of the body through urine and sweat (around 2 litres). Anabolic processes (construction) require water to form new molecules to replace those lost and for healing and growth. So it’s not just enough to know that our bodies are over 50% water, it’s also good to understand the importance of water at are more fundamental level. Minute to minute and hour to hour the balance is thus critical to our health.

Unfortunately, modern diets aren’t always conducive to good hydration. Diuretics like coffee are increasing in popularity. Alcohol consumption is also a great concern. Soft drinks (sodas) remain popular and the salts (sodium, potassium, etc.) and caffeine in them play havoc with hydration. Not to mention so-called “energy drinks” many of which are loaded with caffeine. Worse still, we have young people mixing energy drinks with alcohol – a double whammy of dehydration, coupled with stimulant and anti-stimulant properties! All these drinks are making your body fight against dehydration. As your body wages this battle, it cleverly tries to protect critical things like brain function, blood volume, waste removal, etc. So, to do this when you are dehydrated it takes from elsewhere. If you have regular headaches, muscle pains and cramps, erratic thinking and concentration, poor bowel movements and so on, chances are you are simply dehydrated.

Ah, what to do? “I don’t like drinking heaps of water Jason, it’s boring, tasteless, etc.” you say. Well there are other options. Limit your alcohol to a couple of glasses a week. Enjoy only one or two cups of coffee a day. Try and mix this with alternatives like herbal teas, fruit juices, vegetable juices, rice milk, almond milk… and just plain water! If you mix it up a bit, you may just have one a day from each of these categories and if you do have coffee you will appreciate it much more as a real treat. Also try to eat more fluid-friendly foods such as fruit and vegetables. Junk foods are not only fattening, but the salt and sugar content can leave you quite dehydrated.

Chinese Medicine – Fact or Fiction?

If you have already read up on, or studied Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), you will understand the basics such as yin and yang, qi (sometimes “chi”), the Zang Fu organs, etc. TCM philosophy is based around the ancient Chinese wisdom that our bodies are part of a greater whole (state, country, planet, universe, etc.). The body thus interacts with and is part of, the whole. The body can thus reflect and be reflected in, the whole. The Chinese believe that qi is energy that again interacts with, and is affected by other forms of energy.

This philosophy is very similar to that of another ancient culture – India. Ayurvedic (in Sanskrit “life knowledge”) Medicine from India recognises like TCM, basic elements such as fire, water, earth and air. There is also a strong emphasis on balance, and cause and effect relationships. Although these two cultures each have a long history of successful diagnosis and treatment of a range of ailments and diseases, they are often too readily dismissed by western medical practitioners and patients as either having no scientific basis or at worst being labelled “dodgy”.

I have never seen or heard of anyone ever alluding publicly to the following comments, but I reckon I have the answer – quantum physics! This level of physics it can be argued is the most fundamental level we currently understand about the building blocks that make up humans, and everything else around us. We have a universe which can be broken down into galaxies, stars and planets. Using Earth as an example, it can then be broken down into countries, states, and cities or societies. Societies consist of common groups and families made of individuals. Individual humans can be broken down into systems, organs, tissues, then into cells. Cells are made up of molecules, which are made up of atoms. Atoms are made of protons, neutrons and electrons. These particles are made of things called quarks and gluons. Quarks can be further reduced to bosons and fermions. Wow, you’re losing me with all this science stuff Jason, move on!

Basically, quantum physics has shown us that when we break things (all) down to the smallest constituent elements, elementary particles can behave like particles, light waves and/or energy depending on how they are observed. This suggests that everything may consist of energy or light, but can form matter under the right circumstances. Scientists working with the Large Hadron Collider in Geneva, appear to have verified the existence of the Higgs Boson which in a nutshell is a most fundamental particle that gives mass. This discovery opens the possibility that everything we know could be stated as being made of energy. Now go back to my earlier comments on TCM and you can see the correlation. Everything is connected and energy permeates all matter. Thus, affecting energy flow can make you well or ill. It really does look like the ancient Chinese and Indians were on to something!

Chlorophyll is awesome!

Young collard plants growing in a container (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Chlorophyll is not just for plants!  This amazing substance is very important for our diet.  This wonderful green pigment allows plants to take up light from the sun and convert it to energy (fuel) for the plant.    Chlorophyll has a chemical structure that is quite similar to heme (component of haemoglobin) found within our red blood cells. Think about that one…  A basic difference is the fact that this structure (called a porphyrin ring) contains an atom of iron at its centre when it is found in our red blood cells, but when it is found in plants, it contains an atom of magnesium at the centre.

Why is this so useful to our health?  Apart from having anti-carcinogenic, anti-oxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties, chlorophyll is also a Chelate. The process of chelation is that the chelate can easily combine with heavy metals such as lead and mercury (remember those fillings in your teeth) and remove them from your organs and bloodstream.  This can help alleviate one of the most powerful yet hidden syndromes in the world today – fatty liver.  If your liver is clogged full of toxins such as heavy metals, it starts to retain fats and once it cannot cope with them it assists in sending excess fat out to other parts of the body.  This chemical makeup of chlorophyll is also very important in helping us maintain the optimum pH level in our bodies, another overlooked health issue.

All of the green vegetables – asparagus, bell peppers, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, green cabbage, celery, collard greens, green beans, green peas, kale, leeks, green olives, parsley, romaine lettuce, sea vegetables, spinach, Swiss chard, and turnip greens are concentrated sources of chlorophyll.  A little known fact is also that certain blue-green algae contain concentrated sources of chlorophyll.  Blue-green algal blooms in our waterways get a bad rap from the media and rightly so as generally they can contain harmful toxins.  But when harvested from a reliable source, these cyanobacteria can offer a potent source of chlorophyll.

So there are more reasons to eat lots of green vegetables!  It’s hard with a modern lifestyle to consume copious amounts of greens everyday so I highly recommend buying in bulk and juicing your greens with some apple to add some balance and sweetness.  Eat and snack on greens (uncooked when suitable) during the day and consider a blue-green algae supplement if you think you need a real liver lift.