Benefits of Glutathione

Glutathione is the body's master antioxidant.  Glutathione is a small protein produced naturally in our body when specific amino acids are present. It functions both as an antioxidant and an antitoxin and is a major defense mechanism against illness and aging. Our glutathione level actually indicates our state of health and may be an important factor in determining longevity. You will find thousands of articles and medical documents on the many benefits of Glutathione yet you will not hear much in the doctor’s office about it. The simple fact is you cannot take Glutathione and receive the benefits that it does offer because it will not absorb in digestion and is destroyed in the digestive system. Another reason is because the pharmaceutical industry will not spend the millions of dollars on a substance that naturally occurs within the body as they would be unable to patent the compound and make billions of dollars selling you their exclusive formula.   

Elevated glutathione levels have shown to slow down the aging process, detoxify and improve liver function, strengthen the immune system, and reduce the chances of developing cancer. Glutathione also works to help improve mental functions, increase energy, improve concentration, permit increased exercise, and improve heart and lung function - just to name a  few.

Athletic performance can be enhanced with elevated glutathione levels by boosting the immune system and increasing recovery time. Every time an athlete competes at his or her top level the body goes through a tremendous amount of oxidative stress and free radical damage. In most cases the athlete will take several days to several weeks before resuming their training. A classic example of this would be an Olympic lifter or a Power lifter. A power lifter typically will train 8-16 weeks in preparation for one day of competition. Weight lifting as a sport is considered to be an extreme sport, pushing the body’s limits to lift the heaviest weight possible. Serious injury and even death has occurred in both Olympic and Power lifting. Most of these athletes only complete 2-3 times yearly with some of the extreme athletes lifting 6-8 times in a year. Very rarely will you ever find a weight lifter compete more times than that. There is however one documented case of a female teenager that competed 26 times in 2006 and this young lady not only competed but she won all 26 events and set world record lifts throughout the year. She finished the year with winning 7 World Championships from several different organizations not only winning the teen divisions in her weight class but also winning the women’s open class division as well. You may wonder what this has to do with glutathione right. Well she just happened to be taking a formula that enhanced her production of glutathione in fact she was taking high doses of several amino acids and some other trace minerals that did in fact speed up her recovery time between competitions. Her name is Amanda Harris aka:Barbie Barbell and she is well aware of the benefits of enhanced glutathione levels. 

Raised glutathione levels fight the oxidation of circulating fats in the bloodstream, including cholesterol, retarding the process of plaque formation in the arteries - the underlying cause for most heart disease and stroke.

Nutrition Reviews 54: 1-30, 1996

Diabetics are prone to infections and circulatory problems leading to heart disease, kidney failure and blindness. Glutathione protects against the complications of diabetes.

Clinical Science 91: 575-582, 1996

Increased Glutathione levels have shown to provide significant reduction in inflammation of the joints. Tendonitis and arthritis are reduced when Glutathione levels are elevated.

New England Journal of Medicine MXVI – 256-277 1997

Glutathione protects the body from the inflammation of gastritis, stomach ulcers, pancreatitis and inflammatory bowel disease including ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. Gut 42: 485-492, 1998

The liver is the major storehouse for glutathione. Glutathione is impaired in alcoholic hepatitis as well as in viral hepatitis A, B, and C. Raised glutathione levels restore liver function.

American Journal of Gastroenterology 91: 2569-2573, 1996

Raised glutathione levels help increase strength and endurance. Those interested in physical fitness can benefit from a definite athletic edge.

Journal of Applied Physiology 87: 1381-1385, 1999

Strong muscular activity, such as that experienced by athletes, generates oxyradicals [free radicals] leading to muscle fatigue and poorer performance. Glutathione neutralizes these radicals.

Sport Medicine 21: 213-238, 1996

Antioxidants are well documented and known to possess vital roles in health maintenance and disease prevention. Glutathione is your cell's own major antioxidant. Maintaining elevated glutathione levels aids the body's natural antioxidant function.

Biochemical Pharmacology 47: 2113-2123 1994

L-Glutathione Deficiency

There is the possibility of a deficiency of Glutathione. It is typically seen in aging. For example, it is seen in age related macular degeneration, diabetes, as well as lung and gastrointestinal diseases. It can be the cause of pre-eclampsia, Parkinson's, AIDS, and other neurodegenerative diseases.

The Wonderful Benefits of Branch Chain Amino Acids better known as BCAA.

The Wonderful Benefits of Branch Chain Amino Acids better known as BCAA.

As I've stated in a few articles on select amino acids such as L-Glutamine the importance of these supplements are way understated. If you are looking for optimal health you really need to be taking a variety of these Amino-acids. I feel the same way about BCCA's outside of L-Glutamine and L-Arginine BCAA's are of the utmost importance for a multitude of reasons.
In the quest to build muscle, most athletes can't seem to get enough protein. We eat copious amounts of chicken, steak, eggs, and fish to get it. We isolate the various types of proteins like whey and casein and make them into powders to take advantage of different digestion rates. We don't stop there though, we then isolate individual amino acids that protein is comprised of and consume them separately as well.
Even the most serious of health minded people are left wondering why they need to take additional amino acids when they are already getting so many amino acids in all the protein they are consuming. The truth is that individual amino acids can influence muscle growth through a variety of different pathways, and of all the amino acids none have been shown to be more important than the branched chain amino acids.
Branched chain amino acid supplements (BCAAs) have been around longer than others such as creatine and beta-alanine, but few realized the full range of their capabilities regarding muscle growth and performance. Branched chain amino acids have jumped to the forefront of research in recent years and the results have been turning heads within the fitness industry. We now know that BCAAs go far beyond simply being building blocks for muscle tissue and can affect muscle growth through pathways few thought possible.
Let's take a look at just what are the BCAA's
The BCAAs are leucine, isoleucine, and valine. The name "branched-chain amino acids" is derived from the structure of these compounds. Each one has a forked outcropping that looks a bit like a branch, hence the name branched chain amino acids..The three BCAAs are incredibly essential and actually fall into the category of essential amino acids. Essential amino acids are amino acids that the body cannot synthesize on its own and therefore must get adequate amounts through dietary sources. In fact, even though there are about 20 amino acids that the muscles use for growth, the BCAAs comprise roughly a third of the aminos within muscle tissue. So if muscle growth is your goal BCAAs are a must.
How are the BCAA'a metabolized?
It may not seem like the metabolic process of different amino acids matters as long as the end point is muscle tissue. The truth is that the manner in which amino acids are metabolized plays a large role in their functions within the body. The metabolism of BCAAs is different that the metabolic processes of other amino acids. What truly makes the BCAAs special is how they are metabolized. While most amino acids are metabolized in the liver BCAAs are metabolized primarily by muscle. Despite their structural similarities the three branched chain amino acids have different metabolic routes. The breakdown of leucine is accomplished solely through fat pathways. Valine is broken down solely through carbohydrate pathways, and isoleucine through both. The different metabolic pathways of these three amino acids lead to varying requirements for each.
BCAAs, unlike most other amino acids, are metabolized in within muscle tissue, allowing them to be oxidized (used as energy) by muscle cells to produce cellular energy in the form of ATP. ATP is the primary source of energy that fuels muscle contraction and allows you to lift weights.
The fact that leucine, isoleucine, and valine are metabolized within muscle tissue allows them to be a quick energy source when the body needs it. There is a significant increase in BCAA metabolism during prolonged exercise simply because the body requires more energy during periods of stress such as training. This makes BCAAs incredibly effective when taken around workout time.
The unique metabolic processes, requirements, and versatility of BCAAs allow them to impact nearly every aspect of training.

BCAA's will improve performance
Improving performance during training is of utmost importance no matter what your goals. If you are an athlete, improved performance will help you in your sport of choice during actual competition. Improved performance is just as important to the health enthusiast as well since improved performance translates into more muscle mass, which eventually translates into more fat burning.
BCAAs have been proven in many studies to be a potent performance enhancer, and as previously mentioned, BCAAs make a great energy source for working muscles because of their unique metabolism. This can have a positive impact on performance. Not only can BCAAs be used as energy themselves but they also enhance fat oxidation in glycogen depleted subjects. This allows individuals to train harder for longer without fatigue due to the higher energy demands being met. This goes for both high intensity training as well as endurance training.
Another way that BCAAs can enhance performance is through their ability to spare glycogen during training. Found as stored carbohydrates within muscle tissue and the liver, glycogen is the favored fuel source for working muscles engaged in high intensity exercise. This makes glycogen availability and preservation vitally important if you wish to continue to train hard for longer periods of time. Studies have shown that by ingesting BCAAs before and during training glycogen levels can be spared by 25%. It is thought that the ingestion of BCAAs boosts blood alanine levels which gets converted to glucose in the liver and then sent back to working muscle to be used as fuel. This glycogen sparing effect of BCAAs will not only allow for longer more intense training sessions but also allows for faster recovery leading to a better workout tomorrow.
How do BCAA's effect hormonal function?
They are the primary determinant for how much muscle someone will build. They are what separate top level bodybuilders from the rest, elite athletes from everyone else, and cause the muscular differences between men and women. They are hormones! The hormones that are of most importance to us as serious lifters are anabolic hormones. Anabolic hormones are hormones within the body that promote protein synthesis (muscle growth), and the most notable anabolic hormones are testosterone, insulin, and growth hormone (GH). These hormones play a large role in controlling your muscle building destiny. Luckily it has been shown that BCAA intake can have a positive effect on anabolic hormone release.
Testosterone may be the most well know of the anabolic hormones. BCAAs can have a positive impact on testosterone levels when consumed pre-training. During intense training it is normal for testosterone levels to rise. After training is ceased testosterone levels will begin to fall back to normal baseline levels. Studies have shown that when athletes were given BCAAs prior to training, post-workout testosterone levels remained elevated for several hours, whereas the control groups noticed a significant drop in testosterone once training ceased. This can go a long way to maximizing growth from every single training session.
Ingestion of BCAAs not only increases testosterone in the post-training period but also builds muscle by improving the body’s testosterone to cortisol ratio. While testosterone is an anabolic hormone and promotes muscle growth, cortisol is a catabolic hormone and breaks down muscle tissue. Anyone looking to build muscle will want testosterone levels to remain high while minimizing the release of cortisol. It has recently been found that taking BCAAs while resistance training results in significantly higher testosterone levels with a lower creatine kinase and cortisol response. This leads to more muscle tissue being built and less muscle tissue being broken down.
Lastly, the amino acid leucine has also shown promise for increasing insulin sensitivity. Essentially, insulin sensitivity ensures that the insulin within your body maintains its effectiveness. This leads to easier fat loss, more muscle growth, and defense against diabetes.
Can BCAA's help me drop body fat? YES
The effects of BCAA intake on fat loss is something that has only been explored in more recent years. Newer research is showing that BCAAs can have a positive effect on fat loss. This doesn’t mean you can eat pizza at every meal with a side of BCAAs and the fat will just melt away though. BCAAs seem to maximize fat loss when one is already on a fat loss diet. On any fat loss diet, carbohydrates will need to be lowered to some degree. It seems that BCAAs ability to spare glycogen and increase insulin sensitivity may play a role in speeding up the results of a fat loss plan.
BCAAs should also be used as a supplement during any fat loss plan because of the muscle preserving effects. On any calorie restricted plan muscle tissue loss is a serious concern that must be addressed. All of the positive effects that BCAAs have on muscle growth will also serve to protect muscle during periods of calorie restriction. It is always important to remember that anything which builds muscle will also preserve muscle.
Now a little more technical info on BCAA's and how it helps build muscle and save it when you are dieting.
Last, but most certainly not least, of BCAAs many functions is their ability to act as signaling molecules within the body. This has been bringing about some of the most exciting new research within the bodybuilding community in recent years. To get an understanding of how important this is you must first understand the role of protein within the body.
It has long been known that amino acids act as substrate for muscle tissue. This essentially means that when you consume protein, your body will take the amino acids from that protein to compose muscle tissue and other proteins. This is why people often refer to amino acids as building blocks. BCAAs have been proven to be much more than simple building blocks though. Within recent years it has been discovered that BCAAs, particularly leucine, act to send signals to the body that inform it to build muscle.
One of the ways leucine works to signal muscle growth is through it’s interaction with mTOR which stands for mammalian target of rapamycin. The mTOR is located within the cells and, among other things, is responsible for detecting an excess of amino acids. It has been shown to play a key role in regulating muscle hypertrophy (growth). Though this process is not entirely understood, the mTOR pathway has been discovered to be extremely sensitive to the amino acid leucine. Recent tests have shown that when leucine is taken orally it activates mTOR, which activates protein synthesis (muscle growth), and increases a cell’s capacity to produce new proteins (muscle tissue). This means that along with resistance training there is a way to send messages that control growth right at the cellular level. This is truly exciting news.
Many people will ask “If leucine has the greatest effect on muscle growth, then why not take take leucine alone without isoleucine and valine?” It has consistently been shown that the greatest results in protein synthesis are seen when a 2:1:1 ratio of leucine, isoleucine, and valine are taken. When leucine is taken alone it can lower concentrations of the other two amino acids.
It is also important to note, although BCAAs can act to signal muscle growth, there must be a full spectrum of amino acids to act as substrate for muscle growth. This means that you can send signals to your body to build muscle all you want, but if it has nothing to build with you are out of luck. So make sure you ingest enough whole protein every day.

Dosage and when to take BCAA's

As with everything the dosage will vary with every single person. It's really simple though, once you get started.

The more muscle mass you have and the more you are restricting calories is a good indicator on the dosage you need to be taking.

Remember anytime you restrict calories below caloric requirement you will go into a catabolic phase and your body starts to feed on the muscle you worked so hard to build. That's why you need BCAA's and L-Glutamine.

Taking to little of a dose is like using a garden hose to put out a major forest fire. Some of us will require larger doses than others. The best way to know your taking the right amount is simple.
1. You lose the cravings for carbohydrates
2. The mental fog that comes with low calorie intake improves
3. Your sleep at night improves
4. You feel fresher in the gym while you are training
5. You muscle belly will take on a more full and hydrated look.

For those of you that weigh under 140lbs your dosage will vary between 3 to 10 grams daily.

For those of you that weigh over 141 lbs I would suggest 5 to 15 grams daily.

The optimal time to take your BCAA's will be before your training session and within one hour after training. There are other times to take BCAA's as well. I recommend taking a small portion upon wakeup and you may well want another portion late evening. The amino acid you should focus on at bed time though is L-Glutamine this will help you sleep better and prevent enzymatic breakdown of muscle tissue while you sleep. You can also take L-Glutamine with you BCAA's before and after training. I also suggest taking a small dose (.500MG to 1 gram) of L-Glutamine with at least 3 of your meals.

Magnesium is So Important!

Magnesium is SO IMPORTANT!!!

Magnesium is an essential mineral used for hundreds of biochemical reactions, making it crucial for health. Massive magnesium deficiencies in the general population have led to a tidal wave of sudden coronary deaths, diabetes, strokes and cancer. Even a mild deficiency of magnesium can cause increased sensitivity to noise, nervousness, irritability, mental depression, confusion, twitching, trembling, apprehension, and insomnia.

The modern diet, with an overabundance of refined grains, processed foods and sugars, contains very little magnesium. Even the magnesium inside whole grains and fresh vegetables has been declining steadily in recent years because of depletion of minerals in our soils, making magnesium supplementation necessary for most people.

The benefits of using Magnesium Oil!

 Magnesium deficiencies are present in healthy populations[1] thus it behooves every healthcare practitioner and doctor to become fully familiar with how to use magnesium oil, which is the best most versatile form of magnesium. When one floods the body with magnesium chloride, one can choose and combine multiple avenues of administration. One can take magnesium orally, transdermally on the skin through direct application or using it heavily in medicinal baths, and one can nebulize it directly into the lungs.

Magnesium can also be administered through. intramuscular injection or intravenously during surgery, heart attacks and stroke. There is no replacement in the pharmaceutical world for magnesium and in fact, most pharmaceuticals leave the patient more deficient thus needing even more magnesium. Practicing medicine without magnesium is not a good idea.

Magnesium oil is magnesium chloride and is one of the most powerful medicine/medicinals in the world. It is also the purest coming as it does from 1,500 meters underground Europe from a trapped seabed hundreds of millions years old. Surgery is certainly safer when magnesium is used before, during and after operations. Though the above magnesium oil product is sold primarily for transdermal use, it should be clear that it is the purest product that can be used for all applications.

Magnesium oil is oily but there is no oil—it is approximately 35 percent magnesium chloride. Oil is the right word though, not only because you can use it transdermally as a lubricant to transform simple massages into a medical treatment – for cancer and all other patients, but also because it acts as an oil for almost all physiological processes in the body. What oil does for an engine magnesium oil will do for your health.

Magnesium chloride is also an extremely versatile medicine. It can be used intravenously, nebulized directly into the lungs; it can be put directly on the skin, used orally as a laxative and orally for general intense use. There is nothing like getting a massage with magnesium oil and breast cancer or fibroid patients can apply it on their breasts many times a day for great effect.

Moreover, magnesium chloride in bath flake form (or Epson or Dead Sea Salt) can be used in baths with sodium bicarbonate for strong medicinal effect.

Easy Steps to Improve Your Strength!

Easy Steps to Improve Your Strength!

Are you stuck, hanging in limbo not able to get past that strength plateau! Maybe it's time to change things up and take your strength to the next level. Follow these easy steps and get stronger!

1. Although true research is sparse, both anatomical and biomechanical evidence supports the need for changing both hand and foot positions, as well as seat angles, on exercises throughout your training cycles. Also by creating these variations, support musculature (stabilizers) will improve as will your overall length and variety of muscle movement. More angles, more fibers, and longer ranges of motion, means greater strength. And one final thought; making simple adjustments adds tons of exercises to keep your workouts both challenging and stimulating, so it is less likely for you to overtrain and/or become bored.

2. Whether you are squatting or bench pressing or doing heavy deadlifts and bent-over rows, forcing the barbell to track in straight line not only improves strength, but actually puts your body in the proper biomechanical alignment. While popular theory explains that a bar should travel in an arced movement pattern, physics say force is greater in a straight line. When the strongest lifters in the world have been examined in both squats and bench presses, their movement patterns were closest to a perfect straight line. When you first try this from your usual movement pattern it will feel odd, but with practice you will see your strength numbers skyrocket.

3. In an effort to build stability, advocates of ball training have forgotten the most basic element of balance - it comes from the ground up. While balance is certainly important, strength is paramount. Using unstable surfaces and weird circus-like tricks does not increase muscle size and quality.

Get your core work from big lifts such as the bench, squat and deadlift and feel free to occasionally mix in dedicated exercises like the plank and superman.

4. Avoid Percentage Charts- Percentage charts often misrepresent a true maximum and leave the lifter with either too much or too little, especially since many lifters underestimate their 1RM. Instead, just get the most out of whatever weight you're using. Don't leave anything on the floor. Work as hard as you can every single session. Why base your training session on something you did four weeks earlier when you can make the most out of your routine by basing each workout on the day before.

5. Mix things up- Use a variety of rep ranges and weights to change your training all the time. Never get use to the same routine. The body quickly adapts to how you train so never let is adapt. Continue to change the training and you will keep growing and never get bored!

Nutrients that Women Need Most!

I many cases a picture is worth 1,000 words. Here is a quick snap shot and what many women need more of in their daily diet. Have a wonderful weekend!

You're Never Too Old!

Reverse Aging with these Simple yet very Effective Steps!
 
Forget Low Fat Diets.
 
Low fat everything has been the craze now for decades and look around. What has that wonderful bit of advice done for the bodies you see? We're fatter, sicker, and more addicted to sugar and carbs than any other time in history. And, we're passing these habits to our kids.

Fats are not to be feared – they're to be embraced. They do not make you fat; rather, they help your body regenerate your power hormones. Testosterone, the 'strength' hormone, for example, is the direct result of cholesterol and dietary fat intake. That's right: "Cholesterol" isn't a dirty word! Your body needs dietary fat and cholesterol in order to produce ANY AND ALL vital hormones.

People on low fat diets look drawn, gaunt, and weak. They are often sick, sometimes to the point of literally breaking down. And, they can never just enjoy eating out. Every meal and every gram must be accounted for. Do you really think this will make you younger? Of course not... it will worry you to death if it doesn't kill you first!


Stop Running in Circles

Gym classes can be fun, if you like sitting in one place and torturing yourself. But have you noticed how little people change their bodies in these classes? Sure, it's good "cardio", but cardiovascular conditioning can be gained with far less time and effort.

Treadmills, and any form of endurance training (especially running) does very little to help the age reversal process. Many times, these long-duration exercise bouts accelerate the aging process by increasing free radicals. These free radicals are scavengers that prey on your body's essential nutrients and tissues.


Stop Blaming Everything On How Old You Are

Your body doesn't own a clock. Studies have shown that men and women in their 90s were able to gain muscle tone in just a matter of weeks of simple weight training. I've personally seen men and women transform their physiques at literally all ages—25 to 95! In the picture above this lady is 82 years young and stronger than many women 50 years her junior.

If you're around those naysayers who are constantly talking about growing old, all their aches and pains, and how life is just down hill after 40—LEAVE! Surround yourself with positive thinkers who absolutely crave a challenge. A challenge is what keeps you YOUNG, and the best challenge there is happens to be taking control of your health and body.
Avoid Chronic Dehydration

Water isn't just "good for you" — water burns fat. Water suppresses hunger. Water renews your skin. Just drinking 12 ounces of pure water every day can take a few years off your face in a matter of weeks. You'll also drop fat, have more energy, and save your kidneys and liver from chronic overwork.

When your kidneys are taxed from too little water, your liver has to take over. Now, get this: Your liver is your number one fat-burning organ. Do you REALLY want it processing liquids and toxins rather than BURNING FAT? No way, right? Well, grab a glass of water, and watch the mirror. Within a few weeks, the change to your face and body will be noticeable.


Work Out LESS (Yes, Less)

If you don't work out at all, you're going to lose muscle tissue every year. That means you'll get fatter and flabbier each and every year with less shape and more sag. Is this what you desire? No way, right?

Well, the answer is old school resistance training. Mix your cardio in with your weight training and exercise 3 times weekly using both weights and cardio.

Burn the Belly Fat and keep your tummy FLAT!

Here are some proven steps to help keep your body fat on the retreat.

1 EAT HEALTHY FATS

When trying to drop fat, it may seem appropriate to reduce dietary fat. At 9 calories per gram, fats are a denser caloric investment than carbs or protein. But fats are, in fact, good for you, and consuming enough of the good fats will help you lose fat, build muscle, and recover faster from your workouts. Healthy fats also have numerous health benefits, including being good for your heart and cardio-battered joints.

Polyunsaturated fats, such as those from fish and nuts, and the monounsaturated kind, such as those from peanut butter, olive oil, egg yolks, and fish oil are the ideal choice (especially omega-3s).

2 ADD A HIGH-CARB DAY

When dieting down, most people turn to low-carb diets. (We can see you nodding your head in affirmation.) But what most seem to forget is that carbs are your body’s preferred fuel source and adding a high-carb day now and then can really rejuvenate the metabolism and get that engine revving again.

A low-carb diet long term can actually end up having adverse effects as leptin – the satiety hormone -- levels fall faster when on a low-carb diet and this in turn ends up slowing down metabolism and actually making you feel more hungry.

Try to plan your high-carb days around your more intense sessions, such as leg day, and take down those higher-carb meals pre- and post-workout. Adding 1-2 high-carb days will essentially mean you are carb cycling and will help you avoid any plateaus that may be on the horizon.

3 EAT PROTEIN PLENTY OF PROTEIN

This is a no-brainer, right? At only 4 calories per gram, protein is an ideal choice for keeping your calorie count in check. It also keeps you fuller longer and rebuilds and preserves muscle. Research has also found that a high-protein diet increases fat loss because it increases metabolic rate and decreases hunger.

You should consume a range of .8 to 1.5 grams per lean body pound of weight.

4. HYDRATION IS CRUCIAL

You can try to will yourself into eating less at each meal, or you can put some proven science to work for you at the dinner table. A 2010 study found that participants who drank a full glass of water before dining typically consumed 75-90 fewer calories from that meal. It’s not complicated – the extra water made them feel fuller.

Drinking more water will also ensure your metabolism is running smoothly and will ensure that you stay hydrated. Additionally, consuming more water keeps your body shedding more water. Some athletes find that they retain less water when they begin consuming more. Aim for half your body-weight in ounces per day. So a 200-pound individual should strive for 100 ounces.

5. CHOICE OF EXERCISE

I find that mixing HIIT workouts with resistance exercise are the most beneficial and effective methods for dropping unwanted body fat. The resistance exercise builds lean body mass. The more muscle the higher the metabolism runs. and the HIIT training stokes the metabolism up to 48 hours after the training session. So make sure you hit the gym 2-4 times a week and perform some HIIT exercises 2-3 times a week as well.

Meet the Perfect Protein, The Mighty Egg!

The Mighty Egg!

In the past, eggs have gotten bad press because of their cholesterol and fat content. Fact: Eating cholesterol does not elevate cholesterol levels and the fats found in eggs are healthy fats that help turn on the fat burning engine in our metabolism. .  Few things match nature’s great engineering at packing such nutritional power in such a small, but deliciously satisfying package, particularly for those looking to build muscle or burn fat. The amino acid profile found in eggs is second to none! So stop throwing that nutrient dense yolk down the drain and take advantage of the healthy fats and added benefits of the protein and healthy fats found in that yolk!

Just one egg can supply over 12 percent of the daily recommended intake of protein. The quality of egg protein is so high that the World Health Organization (WHO) uses it as a reference standard against which the protein quality of all other food is judged. Egg protein is a complete protein and thus includes a number of amino acids such as leucine, isoleucine, valine, methionine, cysteine, lysine, tryptophan, and other essential amino acids that contribute to the repair and regeneration of muscle.

Fact:  The more muscle you carry, the more calories you burn at rest, making it easier for you to lean out or lose weight or both.

Fact: Conjugated linoleic acid, or CLA, is derived from animal sources. Chickens fed their natural diet and raised organically produce eggs with higher levels of CLA. CLA has been found to have antitumor activity at levels achievable through your diet. In other animal studies, CLA has been shown to help with regulation of glucose and to decrease the percentage of bodyfat. CLA is found in the yolk of the egg. CLA  also lowers cholesterol in the body! So why are you not eating the yolk again?

Fact: Some studies, where the cholesterol did increase, found it was the HDL or “good” cholesterol that was on the rise. The data has been so compelling that the American Heart Association was forced to retract its recommended ban on the consumption of eggs and, in fact, today considers their inclusion part of a healthful, balanced diet.

Fact: Omega-3 fatty acids include the essential fatty acid ALA, or alpha linolenic acid, and the conditionally essential fatty acid DHA, or docosahexaenoic acid. These polyunsaturated fatty acids are critical in helping the body reduce levels of inflammation. They are also critical in the maintenance of heart and brain health.

Fact: Additionally, DHA has been shown to turn on genes that increase fat burning while deactivating genes that increase fat storage.

Fact: Eggs contain a plethora of other important nutrients including a number of minerals, vitamins, carotenoids and choline. The majority of these are found in the yolk, with the exception of vitamin B2 (riboflavin) and B3 (niacin). They contain heart- and brain-healthy fats, support muscle growth, and fat loss.

The next time you’re looking for a truly tasty treat that is nutritionally dense (the average egg clocks in at about 80 calories) and metabolically friendly (a glycemic index rating of low) it's time revisit the humble, but still incredible egg.

We recommend frying your eggs in coconut oil, this will add additional omega 3 fats into your diet and kick start your metabolism to burn fat all day long!

The Anabolic Breakfast

Start your day with an Anabolic Breakfast!

While you’ve likely heard breakfast is the most important meal of the day, let’s be realistic for a second. No meal is more special than the next; what you do during the course of the day or week is what matters most. Now, for those who love their breakfast, some recent research suggests you may want to rethink the amount of carbohydrates you include in that first meal. Your breakfast should be based on your current performance or physique goals.

You should also try to find something that you enjoy and won’t have a problem being consistent with. I recommend a high-protein breakfast with a moderate amount of dietary fat from medium-chain triglycerides, or MCTs. Here’s why: A recent study compared the results from three different breakfasts to determine how “anabolic” they are. The participants of the study had either protein only or protein plus carbohydrates, or fasted during breakfast.

The protein-only and fasting groups displayed significant increases in growth hormone, whereas the protein-plus-carbohydrate individuals showed no changes. Growth hormone is an essential part of your muscle-building goals, as it helps to spare amino acids in the body. Also, cortisol— your stress hormone—was lowered the most in the protein-only breakfast. So why include the MCTs? Medium-chain triglycerides are easily absorbed fats that, unlike normal triglycerides, can be used immediately for energy. Studies on MCT usage have shown increases in growth hormone, more fat being used for energy, and an increase in metabolism. Having some fat at breakfast may also shift the body toward using more fat as fuel during the course of the day.

ANABOLIC BREAKFAST OPTIONS

Coconut Oil: High in MCTs (66%), specifically lauric acid, which helps with cholesterol.

Organic Eggs: High in protein (and its associated leucine) as well as healthy dietary fat, which is high in omega-3s.

MCT Oil: Made of 100% MCTs and very easy to throw into a protein shake if you’re in a hurry.

Grass-Fed Beef: When cooked in coconut oil, it tastes amazing and delivers the protein and nutrients you need to grow muscle.

Any High-Quality, Low-Carb Protein Powder: Mix with water and a serving of MCT oil if time is an issue.

Fact: The MCT s in coconut oil have been shown to increase HDL (good) cholesterol, which can improve your overall cholesterol ratio.