Benefits of eating Chicken Breast.

Benefits of eating Chicken Breast.

Chicken soup, chicken stew, chicken chili, chicken breast on salad…chicken in almost any form is great for your health—unless you’re the chicken of course!

All kidding aside, the health benefits of eating poultry are plenty. When this fowl comes in a lean breast, it’s low in fat and calories and high in protein, which makes it ideal for weight maintenance. Not to mention that this bird is jam-packed full of essential nutrients and vitamins.

Plus, with so many ways to prepare this plucky protein, you’re family won’t tire of chicken as a frequent weekly menu staple. Here are the top ten healthy benefits of eating chicken:

1. High in Protein

If you’re looking for a great source of lean, low fat protein, this bird is the word. The protein in chicken lends itself to muscle growth and development, and help support a healthy body weight and aid weight loss.

2. Natural Anti-depressant

Chicken, like its brother fowl the turkey, is high in an amino acid called tryptophan, which gives you that comforting feeling after consuming a big bowl of mom’s chicken soup. In fact, if you’re feeling depressed, eating some poultry will increase the serotonin levels in your brain, enhance your mood, blasting stress, and lulling you to sleep.

3. Prevents Bone Loss

If you’re entering your senior years and you’re concerned about Osteoporosis or arthritis, eating chicken will aid in your fight against bone loss thanks to the protein punch it packs!

4. Poultry for Heart Health

Homocysteine is an amino acid that can cause cardiovascular disease if levels are high in the body. Fortunately for us, eating chicken breast suppresses and controls homocysteine levels.

5. Phosphorus

Chicken is also rich in phosphorus, an essential mineral that supports your teeth and bones, as well as kidney, liver, and central nervous system function.

6. Selenium

Chicken also abundant in selenium, an essential mineral involved in metabolic performance—in other words thyroid, hormone, metabolism, and immune function.

7. Metabolism Booster

Vitamin B6 (or B-complex vitamins) encourage enzymes and metabolic cellular reactions (or a process known as Methylation), which means eating this bird will keep blood vessels healthy, energy levels high, and metabolism burning calories so you can manage a healthy weight and activity level.

8. Rich in Niacin

Chicken also happens to be rich in niacin, one particular B-vitamin that guards against cancer and other forms of genetic (DNA) damage.

9. Promotes Eye Health

Chicken is high in retinol, alpha and beta-carotene, and lycopene, all derived from vitamin A, and all vital for healthy eyesight.

10. Essential for Healthy Tissue Growth

Many of us are plagued with chapped lips, cracked mouths, tongue sores, or dry skin in winter. However, a boost in riboflavin (or Vitamin B2), found in chicken livers, will drastically reduce your skin problems and repair dry or damaged skin.

So make sure you include chicken breast as a part of your nutrition program. There are so many different ways to cook chicken too.

Body fat loss stuck on hold?....This may be the problem!

Body fat loss stuck on hold? Can't seem to lose that last little bit of fat?

This may be the problem.......

Artificial Sweeteners will over stimulate the hormones that make you hungry and create a resistance too the hormones that suppress hunger...... IT'S A DOUBLE EDGED SWORD!!! 

Contrary to popular belief, studies have found that artificial sweeteners such as aspartame can stimulate your appetite, increase carbohydrate cravings, and stimulate fat storage and weight gain. In one of the most recent of such studies, saccharin and aspartame were found to cause greater weight gain than sugar.

Aspartame is perhaps one of the most problematic. It is primarily made up of aspartic acid and phenylalanine. The phenylalanine has been synthetically modified to carry a methyl group, which provides the majority of the sweetness. That phenylalanine methyl bond, called a methyl ester, is very weak, which allows the methyl group on the phenylalanine to easily break off and form methanol.

You may have heard the claim that aspartame is harmless because methanol is also found in fruits and vegetables. However, in fruits and vegetables, the methanol is firmly bonded to pectin, allowing it to be safely passed through your digestive tract. Not so with the methanol created by aspartame; there it’s not bonded to anything that can help eliminate it from your body.

Methanol acts as a Trojan horse; it's carried into susceptible tissues in your body, like your brain and bone marrow, where the alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) enzyme converts it into formaldehyde, which wreaks havoc with sensitive proteins and DNA. All animals EXCEPT HUMANS have a protective mechanism that allows methanol to be broken down into harmless formic acid. This is why toxicology testing on animals is a flawed model. It doesn't fully apply to people.

Now a little education on the two hormones that artificial sweeteners effect.

A lot is known about what causes obesity. The simplest explanation is that the genes that have protected us from famines for millions of years are at the core of the cause of obesity. These powerful biochemical systems are centered on a small area in the middle of the brain called the hypothalamus. A specialized area in the hypothalamus, called the arcuate nucleus, is where the signals that control metabolic rate, hunger and satiety are located.

In the arcuate nucleus are two cells types. One cell is the NPY/AGRP (Neuropeptide Y/Agouti Related Protein) cell. This is the hunger cell. If it is stimulated you feel hungry and your metabolic rate drops. The other cell is the POMC (Proopiomelanocortin) cell. This is the satiety cell. If it is stimulated you feel full and your metabolic rate increases.

The two major hormones that control the hunger and satiety cells are ghrelin and leptin. Ghrelin is produced by the stomach and travels to the brain where it turns on the hunger cell and turns off the satiety cell. Leptin is produced by the fat cells of the body and travels to the brain where it turns on the satiety cell and turns off the hunger cell. When you are obese you have lots of fat cells and thus your leptin levels are high. The high leptin levels in combination with high insulin levels turn off the stomach cells that make ghrelin so your ghrelin levels are low. Now if that seems backward, your right. The problem is that high leptin levels over time make the satiety cell insensitive to leptin and low ghrelin levels make the hunger cell hypersensitive to ghrelin. The result is that even though the leptin levels are high and the ghrelin levels are low, the hunger cells are turned on and the satiety cells are turned off.

This is exactly the situation that occurs in a famine, hunger cells on and satiety cells off. So if you are obese, even though you have plenty of fat stores, the brain behaves like you were starving. This has many consequences. First and foremost is a loss of the conscious signals that tell you when you are full and when you are hungry. A common sign of this is that most obese people don't feel hungry when they get up in the morning. As a result they often skip breakfast. The brain interprets this as more starvation signals and further shuts down the metabolism. In fact the number one risk factor for obesity was skipping breakfast.

Ghrelin is also important in many other functions of the body. One of the most important is sleep. In order to efficiently progress though the normal cycles of sleep you need adequate ghrelin levels. If you don't have them you will not sleep as efficiently, you will dream less and get less restorative sleep. This will make you more tired the next day and since dreaming promotes leptin production, you will be hungrier and have a lower metabolic rate.

The imbalance of leptin and ghrelin are at the heart of the cause and consequences of obesity.

Now I know your thinking to yourself this only effects obese people not someone like me that only needs to drop a few more pounds, right?

WRONG, I am especially talking you you folks that just need to drop a few pounds and in particular those of you getting ready for a competition.

You see the leaner your body becomes the more sensitive it becomes too. Drop the artificial sweeteners and see the difference for yourself. You will be amazed at how quickly your body will respond and those last few fat pockets will vanish.

7 Side Effects of Drinking Diet Soda

7 Side Effects of Drinking Diet Soda

Question?

What’s the single biggest source of calories for Americans? White bread? Big Macs? Actually, try soda. The average American drinks about two cans of the stuff every day. “But I drink diet soda,” you say. “With no calories or sugar, it’s the perfect alternative for weight watchers...right?”

Not so fast. Before you pop the top off the caramel-colored bubbly, know this: guzzling diet soda comes with its own set of side effects that may harm your health—from kickstarting kidney problems to adding inches to your waistline.

Unfortunately, diet soda is more in vogue than ever. Kids consume the stuff at more than double the rate of last decade, according to research in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Among adults, consumption has grown almost 25%.

But knowing these 7 side effects of drinking diet soda may help you kick the can for good.

Kidney Problems

Here’s something you didn’t know about your diet soda: It might be bad for your kidneys. In an 11-year-long Harvard Medical School study of more than 3,000 women, researchers found that diet cola is associated with a two-fold increased risk for kidney decline. Kidney function started declining when women drank more than two sodas a day. Even more interesting: Since kidney decline was not associated with sugar-sweetened sodas, researchers suspect that the diet sweeteners are responsible.

Messed-Up Metabolism

According to a 2008 University of Minnesota study of almost 10,000 adults, even just one diet soda a day is linked to a 34% higher risk of metabolic syndrome, the group of symptoms including belly fat and high cholesterol that puts you at risk for heart disease. Whether that link is attributed to an ingredient in diet soda or the drinkers’ eating habits is unclear. But is that one can really worth it?

Obesity

You read that right: Diet soda doesn’t help you lose weight after all. A University of Texas Health Science Center study found that the more diet sodas a person drank, the greater their risk of becoming overweight. Downing just two or more cans a day increased waistlines by 500%. Why? Artificial sweeteners can disrupt the body’s natural ability to regulate calorie intake based on the sweetness of foods, suggested an animal study from Purdue University. That means people who consume diet foods might be more likely to overeat, because your body is being tricked into thinking it’s eating sugar, and you crave more.

A Terrible Hangover

Your first bad decision was ordering that Vodka Diet—and you may make the next one sooner than you thought. Cocktails made with diet soda get you drunker, faster, according to a study out of the Royal Adelaide Hospital in Australia. That’s because sugar-free mixers allow liquor to enter your bloodstream much quicker than those with sugar, leaving you with a bigger buzz.

Cell Damage

Diet sodas contain something many regular sodas don’t: mold inhibitors. They go by the names sodium benzoate or potassium benzoate, and they’re in nearly all diet sodas. But many regular sodas, such as Coke and Pepsi, don’t contain this preservative.

That’s bad news for diet drinkers. "These chemicals have the ability to cause severe damage to DNA in the mitochondria to the point that they totally inactivate it - they knock it out altogether,” Peter Piper, a professor of molecular biology and biotechnology at the University of Sheffield in the U.K., told a British newspaper in 1999. The preservative has also been linked to hives, asthma, and other allergic conditions, according to the Center for Science in the Public Interest.

Since then, some companies have phased out sodium benzoate. Diet Coke and Diet Pepsi have replaced it with another preservative, potassium benzoate. Both sodium and potassium benzoate were classified by the Food Commission in the UK as mild irritants to the skin, eyes, and mucous membranes.

Rotting Teeth

With a pH of 3.2, diet soda is very acidic. (As a point of reference, the pH of battery acid is 1. Water is 7.) The acid is what readily dissolves enamel, and just because a soda is diet doesn’t make it acid-light. Adults who drink three or more sodas a day have worse dental health, says a University of Michigan analysis of dental checkup data. Soda drinkers had far greater decay, more missing teeth, and more fillings.

Reproductive Issues

Sometimes, the vessel for your beverage is just as harmful. Diet or not, soft drink cans are coated with the endocrine disruptor bisphenol A (BPA), which has been linked to everything from heart disease to obesity to reproductive problems. That’s a lot of risktaking for one can of pop.

These 7 side effects a just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to ill side effect of drinking diet soda pop.  There is a host of neurological side effects and may also be one of the leading causes of Dementia and Alzheimer's Disease as well. My advice to you is drink water in place of the toxic diet sodas.  It's much better for you and it won't cause disease.

Supplements I Recommend

Supplements I Recommend

This is a list of supplements I use or have used and found to be very effective.

1. L-Glutamine- aids in protein digestion and helps prevent muscle breakdown. Helps reduce carbohydrate cravings and aids in reducing inflammation. Suggested use 1,000MG before each meal, 1,000MG before and after resistance exercise, 3,000 to 6,000MG 1 hour before bedtime.

2. Branch Chain Amino Acids (BCAA) Aids in preventing muscle break down while on low calorie diets. Prevents muscle wasting (catabolism) Increases anaerobic endurance that will enable you to train harder in the gym without chronic fatigue. Suggested use 1,000- 3,000 MG before and after workout.

3. L-Carnitine - aids in converting fat to energy, it will increase energy levels without the ill side effects that stimulants cause. No jitters or body trimmers will occur taking this amino acid. Also known as N-acetyl carnitine a more bio-available from of the amino acid. This amino acid is perfect for dropping body-fat. Suggested use 1 ounce liquid form twice daily.

4. L-Arginine – is a strong vasodilator that will increase blood flow to muscle tissue. It is a great tool in aiding the replacement of ATP in the muscle cells during training. Reduces blood pressure and improves cardiovascular function. Also aids in Human Growth Hormone Production (HGH). The benefits of L-Arginine are many. We highly recommend everyone take this product. Suggested use 1,000MG at wake-up, 1,000 – 2,000MG before workout and 1,000 – 2,000 MG in evening or at bed time.

5. Co-Enzyme Q-10 (COQ10)– Increases red blood cell count and aids in increased oxygen levels in blood. If you are taking a Statin Drug this is a MUST product for you. COQ10 production is halted in the body when taking Statin Drugs. COQ10 is vital for the production of ATP in muscle cells. Used in combination with L-Carnitine and L-Glutamine is will dramatically reduce cravings for sugars and or carbohydrates. It will also help increase the rate at which you metabolize fats and have shown to lower blood pressure too. Suggested dosage is 200MG to 600MG daily.

6. Whey Protein – Whey Protein is the building block for muscle. It has a high biological value meaning the protein is easily digested and broken down into the amino acids that keep the body functioning properly. Many people use Whey protein as a meal replacement. There are several different types of whey protein and many flavors available. Many of our proteins are very low in carbohydrates and contain about 25 grams of protein per scoop. When protein helps in maintaining muscle mass while on low calorie/low carbohydrate diets. Here is a quick list of benefits of whey protein:
• Assists in increasing in muscle mass
• Assist in cancer treatment
• Increase in glutathione levels (your body’s main water-based anti-oxidant)
• Decrease in triglycerides
• Decrease in total cholesterol while increasing HDL (good cholesterol)
• Increase in immune system function
• Increase in power in sports
• Decreased recovery time and symptoms of over-training

Whey protein should be taken one to three times daily and should be used as whole food protein replacement. Suggest dosage 25 grams for people 175Lb or lighter and 40 to 60 grams for people with a lean body mass over 175lbs.

7. Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) – Aids in the increase of lean body tissue and the reduction of adipose tissue (FATS) through-out the body. Boosts the immune system and reduces inflammation. Reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer. Reduces inflammation due to arthritis as well. Suggest daily dose is 2,000 to 6,000 MG.

8. Fish Oil (omega fatty acids)improved cardiovascular function, reduction of inflammation, serves as a free radical scavenger and boosts the immune system. Suggested dosage range 600MG - 2,000MG daily

9. ZMA – a combination of Zinc, Magnesium and B-6, ZMA is designed to increase anaerobic endurance, speed up recovery time between workouts and improve sleep to aid the body in recovery. Suggested dosage 30MG of Zinc 10-15 MG of B-6 and 450-600MG of Magnesium.

10. Yohimbine - increase male hormone production, improve erectile dysfunction in men. Suggested dosage 10-20MG caution is advised in taking any dose larger than 20MG. It can have some ill side effects.

11. Calcium – Improve bone density, help maintain normal body weight, reduce the effects of PMS,improves cardiovascular function and may reduce the risk of cancer.
Suggest dosage varies on age:

Children (ages 1-3): 500 milligrams per day
Children (ages 4-8): 800 milligrams per day
Youth (ages 9-18): 1300 milligrams per day
Adults (ages 19-50): 1000 milligrams per day
Adults (ages 51 or older): 1200 milligrams per day

12.IntraMax

– By far our best multi-vitamin/mineral product. Liquid vitamins and minerals are far superior to caplets and tablets. This product is 100% derived from plants and vegetables. Its absorption rate is very high meaning 90% of the products is actually used by your body whereas taking capsules or tablets the absorption rate falls below 25%. Benefits include increased immune system overall better health, better more sound sleep and a reduction of inflammation. Suggested dosage is one ounce for people under the age of 40, two ounces per day over the age of 40. You may also increase dosage up to 4 ounces daily if you are sick with Flu like symptoms.

Dementia and Alzheimer's Disease....Can it be prevented?

Dementia and Alzheimer's Disease....Can it be prevented?

As people age, the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease or another dementia increases. Perhaps you have seen Alzheimer’s in your own family and wonder if you’re at risk. Or maybe you’ve watched dementia affect the life of your friend. You may simply be aware of the high number of people who develop Alzheimer’s and be concerned about how to avoid it. Currently, approximately 5.4 million people in the United States have Alzheimer’s. The question for many is: Can Alzheimer’s be prevented?

What Causes Alzheimer’s?

In order to prevent or reduce the risk of Alzheimer's, it's helpful to know what causes it. However, scientists are still working on determining exactly what triggers Alzheimer’s. What we do know is that the brain begins to produce extra beta-amyloid and tau proteins. Those proteins then start to tangle and build up in and between brain cells. Eventually, connections between brain cells are lost and brain tissue actually deteriorates in function and size. It appears that these physical changes in the brain begin many years before any signs of impaired memory or other cognitive concerns appear.

What we don’t know for certain is what causes those changes to begin. Genetics appears to cause a predisposition for some people, giving them a higher chance (but not a certainty) of developing Alzheimer's. Additionally, advanced age plays a role. But other controllable factors, including physical health, have been associated with decreasing the risk of developing Alzheimer’s.

Since we can't yet determine with certainty exactly what triggers Alzheimer's, the next best thing is to rely on research that demonstrates an association between factors. For example, research has shown that both the risk of developing Alzheimer's and a delay in the onset of symptoms, have been connected with factors that include diet, mental exercise, social interaction, physical exercise and more. In light of that, here's a closer look at physical exercise.

Exercise as Prevention

Several studies have demonstrated correlations between a decreased chance of developing Alzheimer's (or other types of dementia) and physical exercise. These studies include ones where self-reports of physical activity in early to midlife were associated with better brain health later in life, structured exercise classes were correlated with a change in the size of areas in the brain such as the hippocampus, and different types of exercise were compared to see which was most effective for maintaining or improving brain health.

Additionally, if our cholesterol is in a healthy range, we’re less at risk for events like a stroke that could trigger vascular dementia. Exercise gets the blood flowing through our bodies and brains. Being physically healthy doesn’t eliminate the possibility of Alzheimer’s or another dementia developing, but a healthy body does decrease the risk.

According to the Alzheimer’s Association, “Some of the strongest current evidence links brain health to heart health. Your brain is nourished by one of your body's richest networks of blood vessels. Every heartbeat pumps about 20 to 25 percent of your blood to your head, where brain cells use at least 20 percent of the food and oxygen your blood carries.”

What Kind of Exercise Is Best?

You may be wondering what type of exercise you should participate in to reap the benefit of a lower risk of Alzheimer’s. The answer depends on whom you ask. One study concluded that resistance training/weight lifting was the most effective at maintaining and even improving cognitive functioning. Other research has studied walking/aerobic exercise with good results. Some studies have shown a benefit from simply a higher level of general physical activity.

While researchers might debate the answer to this question, the general consensus is that exercise, whatever kind you choose, is beneficial to your body and your brain. Consider this your encouragement to invest in your health, and don’t forget to consult with your physician before starting a new exercise program, especially if you have other health concerns.

Nutrition also plays a very important role is prevention and in some cases reversal of symptoms.

Coconut oil and other saturated fats have been shown to improve cognitive skills in patients with Alzheimer's and Dementia.

Avoiding Trans-fats and sugar is also important as well as artificial sweeteners is vital in prevention of disease.

Other things that can damage you and cause you cognitive loss is fluoride and antiperspirants with an aluminum base for prevent sweating. These toxins can cause sever damage to the brain when used over an extended period of time.

So simply put, exercise and eat a healthy diet with saturated fats and reduce your risk of disease.

6 Reasons BPA is a Toxic Poison

6 Reasons BPA is a Toxic Poison

I’m sure just about everyone has heard of BPA, but many people are still confused about its presence and safety risk. Simply put, bisphenol-A is a synthetic compound used in plastic and epoxy resins. What does that really mean to you? Think about everyday items like water bottles, sports equipment, CDs, and DVDs. On the epoxy side, you might have BPA lining the inside of food cans and water pipes, or in thermal paper (the kind used in receipts). Studies indicate the majority of Americans test positive for BPA. [1] Why is this a problem? Well for one thing, BPA can lead to endocrine disorders or other health problems. I’m going to run through 6 reasons why you’re much better off without this compound and some simple advice for how you can avoid BPA.




1. BPA is Especially Dangerous to Women

Recent evidence suggests that BPA is toxic to a woman’s ovaries. [2] One study found that after exposure, follicle production was fewer and smaller as the production of estradiol, a hormone necessary for normal reproductive development, had become stunted. [3] There’s even evidence suggesting that BPA exposure can shorten the reproductive lifespan and lead to infertility. [4]

2. BPA Causes Lung Problems in Kids

In addition to being harmful to a woman’s reproductive system, there’s evidence suggesting that exposure can also cause issues for the unborn child during pregnancy. [5] In a study of mothers and infants, the mothers with higher levels of BPA had children with decreased lung function. According to the study, each tenfold increase in the average BPA concentration corresponded to a 14.2 decrease in lung function. [6] The study also noted that the children were more likely to develop persistent wheezing by age 5, suggesting the very scary idea that an expectant mother’s BPA exposure can actually affect her child’s lung development.

3. BPA Leaches Into Bottled Water

Years ago, there was a concern that drinking from water bottles left in hot cars increased cancer risk. That was never proven, but what is certain is that toxic levels of BPA seep into water from plastic. For over four weeks, scientists studied plastic water bottles left in three different temperature conditions. The highest temperature — 158 degrees Fahrenheit — was chosen because car interiors can easily reach that on a hot day. In the hottest bottles, there was an increase in levels of BPA, suggesting that the levels of this poison steadily increase over time. [7]

4. BPA Pollutes the Air

It’s bad enough that BPA is in so many items, but recent evidence even suggests it’s polluting the environment. Chemical companies often use BPA as a plasticizer to make plastic stronger and, in 2013, over 26 tons of the stuff was released into the air. What does that mean for us? Well, not only do we have to worry about ingesting BPA or absorbing it through the skin, inhalation is also a concern. In fact, one study found that BPA is everywhere. [8] To give you some more perspective, another study found BPA in everyday household dust. [9]

5. BPA Raises Blood Pressure

Here’s another reason to avoid BPA: a study suggests that it can cause a small spike in blood pressure, something that could cause problems for those with hypertension. The Korean study followed 60 individuals as they drank the same brand of soy milk from BPA-free glass bottles and BPA-lined cans. Each individual was studied three times: as they drank from the bottles, as they drank from the cans, and as they drank from each. Not only was there an increase in systolic blood pressure when drinking from the cans, urinary concentration of BPA increased following consumption of the canned beverages by more than 1,600 percent compared with the consumption of the glass bottles. [10]

6. BPA is Confusing the Government

While it’s bad enough that it’s wrecking our health, it also seems to have a firm hold on the minds of our officials. Although the EPA recognizes that BPA is dangerous, the FDA says it’s safe. The EPA just recognized BPA, along with 22 other toxins, as a health risk; however, the FDA takes a markedly different approach. [11] While the agency recognizes that BPA is normally ingested, exposure levels are negligible and not a concern. [12] The FDA even claims that there is no risk to the unborn child. They cling to the belief that BPA is safe despite the number of studies suggesting otherwise.

Avoiding BPA

Avoiding BPA is a must, but be careful — a product with the BPA-free label doesn’t automatically mean it’s safe. Bisphenol-S (BPS) is a common replacement for BPA. Initially used because it was thought to be more resistant to leaching, BPS is just as bad. Once it gets into the body, it parallels the actions of BPA. [13] It seems as if BPA-free plastic might be just as harmful. So what can you do for your health? Make the smartest choice available to you and choose glass containers.

What do you do to keep BPA and alternatives out of your life? Let us know in the comments below.

-Dr. Edward F. Group III, DC, ND, DACBN, DCBCN, DABFM

-Mark Harris PhD, MFS, CSCS, SPN

References:

1.    Vanderberg, L, et al. Human exposures to bisphenol A: mismatches between data and assumptions. Reviews on Environmental Health. 28 (1).
2.    Peretz, J. et al. Bisphenol A and Reproductive Health: Update of Experimental and Human Evidence, 2007–2013. Environmental Health Perspectives. 122 (8).
3.  Peretz, J. et al. Bisphenol A Impairs Follicle Growth, Inhibits Steroidogenesis, and Downregulates Rate-Limiting Enzymes in the Estradiol Biosynthesis Pathway. Toxicological Sciences. 119 (1).
4.  Wang, W. et al. In utero Bisphenol A exposure disrupts germ cell nest breakdown and reduces fertility with age in the mouse. Toxicology & Applied Pharmacology. 276 (2).
5.  Boxe-Blaszczak, A. BPA Exposure During Pregnancy Linked to Lung Problems in Children. Live Science.
6.  Spanier, A. et al. Bisphenol A Exposure and the Development of Wheeze and Lung Function in Children Through Age 5 Years. JAMA Pediatrics. 168 (12).
7.  Fan et al. Effects of storage temperature and duration on release of antimony and bisphenol A from polyethylene terephthalate drinking water bottles of China. Environmental Pollution 192.
8.  Fu, P. Ubiquity of bisphenol A in the atmosphere. Environmental Pollution. 158 (10).
9.  Bienkowski, B. BPA in the air: Manufacturing plants in Ohio, Indiana, Texas are top emitters. Environmental Health News.
10.  Fox, M. Could the Chemical BPA Raise Your Blood Pressure? NBC News.
11.  Rizzuto, P. EPA Adds 23 Chemicals, Including BPA, to Key List for Scrutiny, Possible Action. Bloomberg BNA.
12.  Rizzuto, P. Bisphenol A Is Safe for Approved Uses In Food Containers, Packaging, FDA Says. Bloomberg BNA.
13.  Bilbrey, J. BPA-Free Plastic Containers May Be Just as Hazardous. Scientific American.

Credits: Global healing Center, Houston, Texas
            Texas Metabolics Addison, Texas   

The Wonderful Benefits of Branch Chain Amino Acids better known as BCAA. PART 1 of 2.

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

PART 1 of 2.

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.

The top fat loss tips are right here!

The Basics on Dropping Body Fat.

We can't be any more basic than this. Here is a list or must do tips that will help you succeed in dropping body fat.

1. Do not weigh yourself but maybe once a week and right after you wake-up on an empty stomach. At most weigh once a week best would be twice a month. Weighing yourself daily will be hard on you mentally. There will be days that you hold water or constipation can make you appear heavier than you actually are. This will cause stress and that will cause you to hold onto body fat due to adrenal stress.

2. Instead of weighing yourself look at how your cloths fit and your measurements. If you exercise properly and eat a moderately high protein diet you may add muscle weight. That's a good thing because muscle gain will help you burn more calories especially fat. Muscle is 8 times more dense than fat so it is greater in weight with much less volume. You may actually gain overall body weight and wear much smaller cloths.

3. Have your trainer measure your body composition. A good trainer will have the skills to measure your lean body mass vs. your body fat percentage. By doing this that trainer can also establish your Basil Metabolic Rate (BMR), the rate of calories you burn resting in a 24 hour period. This is important to know because this is how you base your demand for calories when designing a custom nutrition program.

4. Simple rule to follow, burn more calories than you eat. This is the only way you will lose weight.

5. Drink allot of water daily. Staying hydrated is crucial when dropping body fat. If you do not have proper levels of water your body will shut the metabolism down.  Most people should drink no less than 80 ounces of water daily while some of us will need in excess of a gallon.

6. Eat a diet that is moderately high in protein. Proteins break down into amino acids and each amino acid has a specific task to perform in the body. Without proper levels of protein the body will become catabolic and start feeding on its own muscle mass to extract the amino acids found within the muscle tissue. When this happens the metabolism starts to shut dowm and you quit burning calories and what weight you do lose is muscle weight not body fat!

7. -Eat frequently, rule of thumb is eat every three hours. This will keep you burning calories all day long and as long as your blood sugar stays within normal ranges it becomes next to impossible to burn muscle and sets up the perfect climate to burn body fat! Another rule is Eat for what you are about to do not for what you've already done. Eat your carbs and a good source of protein before you have any activities especially exercise.

8. Make sure you are getting no less than 6 hours sleep nightly but no more than 9 hours. Rest and recovery is vital for optimal health and keeping the immune system fully functional. By doing this your metabolism will work at peak levels and your fat loss will burn 24 hours a day.

9.Weight training and resistant exercise are the best for fat loss. Most people tend to think cardio exercise is the best way to drop fat, when in fact cardio exercise is the worst way to lose weight. too much cardio will slow the metabolism and help you store body fat. Interval training is optimal for fat loss.

10. Eating properly balanced nutritional meals during the day will help you burn fat. Eating properly is the key to success in any weight loss program.Don't eat enough you will burn muscle and store fat. Eat too much you will store calories, store body fat and shut down your metabolism.

If Your Metabolic Engine Has Stalled, It Could Be Inflammation

If Your Metabolic Engine Has Stalled, It Could Be Inflammation

If your metabolism is stalled—or stuck in reverse—it would be helpful to look at what might be keeping your body in a state of low-level inflammation. It’s well established that weight gain is often a sign of chronic low-level inflammation, and frequently this is related to the foods you are eating.

Food sensitivities can lead you down the road toward insulin and leptin resistance and can seriously hamper your metabolism.2 When you have a food sensitivity or allergy, your body feels “attacked” by a food rather than nourished by it.

Inflammatory molecules are then produced and circulated to protect you from your body’s perceived threat, causing you to decrease insulin and leptin sensitivity. Your body is under stress so it uses its resources differently. This is typically accompanied by a gut dysbiosis, an imbalance in the microorganisms in your digestive tract.

In addition to food allergies and sensitivities, inflammation can be caused by a number of different factors, including poor sleep, environmental toxins, stress, and other factors. Even overexercising may stall your metabolism by triggering inflammation, pain, water retention, etc.

The foods most likely to be pro-inflammatory are junk foods and highly processed foods, grains, foods high in sugar (especially fructose), and GMOs. For help with dietary strategies, please refer to my Optimized Nutrition Plan. However, many people have food sensitivities to what would normally be considered healthy foods, such as gluten, nuts, and dairy products.

It’s important to not rule out the possibility that you may be having an unhealthy reaction to a “healthy” food. These food sensitivities can be very subtle, so they can sometimes be challenging to identify, requiring some trial and error.

Foods that can help reduce Inflammation. 


Whey protein increases calorie burn and fat utilization, helps the body maintain muscle, and triggers the brain to feel full.

Protein in general has a tendency to rev up your metabolic engine due to its thermogenic effects—meaning, it makes your body produce more heat and in turn, burn more calories—but whey is particularly effective for this.

A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that fat oxidation and thermogenic effects are greater with whey than with soy or casein.3

Consuming a high-quality, rapidly absorbed, and easily assimilated whey protein concentrate, not isolate within about 30 minutes of resistance training may maximally stimulate muscle building in young healthy individuals, but this is equally important, if not more so, for the elderly.

People tend to lose muscle mass as they age. The leaner you are, the better your metabolism will be, regardless of your age. There is only about a two-hour window after exercise for optimal muscle repair and growth, and supplying your muscles with the right food at this time is essential—and whey is among the best.

Strength Training Is the Engine That Drives Fat Loss

Most adults need more muscle building activities, and strength training (aka resistance training or weight training) is an excellent way to achieve this. Working your muscles is the key to firing up your metabolism—muscle contraction is the booster rocket of fat loss. Unlike traditional cardio, strength training causes you to continue burning more calories for up to 72 hours after the exercise is over through a phenomenon called after-burn.

Not only does strength training give your metabolism a boost, and increase your brain power but it’s also an excellent way to reduce aches and pains, while at the same time preventing osteoporosis and age-related muscle loss (sarcopenia). Light walking is not enough to preserve optimal muscle tone, bone health, and posture, so if you’re not engaging in strength training, chances are you’ll become increasingly less functional with age.

Super-slow weight training is a form of high-intensity exercise that has superior metabolism-boosting benefits, especially for older individuals. What does this involve? Basically, you just go much slower!

By slowing down your movement, you’re actually turning it into a high intensity exercise. The super-slow movement allows your muscles, at the microscopic level, to access the maximum number of cross-bridges between the protein filaments that produce movement in the muscle. Another benefit of the super-slow technique is that it shortens your sessions to 12 to 15 minutes, just two to four of times per week.

Friendly Bacteria Can Help You Lose Weight

As mentioned earlier, health problems such as obesity, insulin resistance, and heart disease are all rooted in inflammation, which must be properly addressed if you wish to reach optimal health. Research suggests there’s a connection between certain types of bacteria and body fat. Bacterial imbalance in your gut can produce an exaggerated inflammatory response, and toxic molecules (superantigens) produced by pathogenic bacteria such as staph may play a role in the development of type 2 diabetes due to their effects on your fat cells.

So, if your metabolism has you feeling sloth-like, it may be that your gut bacteria and fat cells are interacting to produce the “perfect storm” of inflammation. A recent study published in British Journal of Nutrition found that a certain strain of bacteria—Lactobacillus rhamnosus—seems to help women lose weight and keep it off.4 This makes sense, given what we know about lean individuals having different gut flora from obese individuals.

Research also tells us there’s a positive-feedback loop between the foods you crave and the types of organisms in your gut that depend on those nutrients for their survival. Eating processed and pasteurized foods worsens dysbiosis. Sugar, refined carbohydrates, and junk foods promote the growth of disease-causing yeasts and fungi, and cause certain bacteria to release endotoxins that drive inflammation, resulting in metabolic changes that lead to overproduction of insulin, increased appetite, excess fat storage, and obesity.

A gut-healthy diet is one that eliminates sugars and processed foods and is rich in whole, unprocessed, unsweetened foods, along with traditionally fermented or cultured foods.

L-Glutamine in short! The many benefits of this awesome Amino Acid!

L-Glutamine in short!

The many benefits of this awesome Amino Acid!


Glutamine/glutamic acid, along with glucose, is one of the principle fuels for the brain cells. It stimulates mental alertness, improves intelligence, normalizes physical equilibrium, detoxifies ammonia from the brain, improves and soothes erratic behavior in elderly patients, improves the ability to learn, aids in retaining and recall in memory, helps with behavioral problems and autism in children, stops sugar and alcohol cravings, may improve IQ in mentally- deficient children, enhances peptic ulcer healing, and may be used to treat schizophrenia and senility.

Glutamine is the most abundant free amino acid found in the muscles of the body. Because it can readily pass the blood-brain barrier, it is known as brain fuel. In the brain, glutamine is converted into glutamic acid—which is essential for cerebral function—and vice versa. It also increases the amount of Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), which is needed to sustain proper brain function and mental activity. It assists in maintaining the proper acid/alkaline balance in the body and is the basis of the building blocks for the synthesis of RNA and DNA. It promotes mental ability and the maintenance of a healthy digestive tract. When an amino acid is broken down, nitrogen is released. The body needs nitrogen, but free nitrogen can form ammonia, which is especially toxic to brain tissues. The liver can convert nitrogen into urea, which is excreted in the urine, or nitrogen may attach itself to glutamic acid. This process forms glutamine. Glutamine is unique among the amino acids in that each molecule contains not one nitrogen atom but two. Thus, its creation helps to clear ammonia from the tissues, especially brain tissue, and it can transfer nitrogen from one place to another.

Glutamine is found in large amounts in the muscles and is readily available when needed for the synthesis of skeletal muscle proteins. Because this amino acid helps to build and maintain muscle, supplemental glutamine is useful for dieters and bodybuilders. More important, it helps to prevent the kind of muscle-wasting that can accompany prolonged bed rest or diseases such as cancer and AIDS. This is because stress and injury (including surgical trauma) cause the muscles to release glutamine into the bloodstream. In fact, during times of stress, as much as one third of the glutamine present in the muscles may be released. As a result, stress and/ or illness can lead to the loss of skeletal muscle. If enough glutamine is available, however, this can be prevented.

Supplemental L-glutamine can be helpful in the treatment of arthritis, autoimmune diseases, fibrosis, intestinal disorders, peptic ulcers, connective tissue diseases such as polymyositis and scleroderma, and tissue damage due to radiation treatment for cancer. L- glutamine can enhance mental functioning and has been used to treat a range of problems, including developmental disabilities, epilepsy, fatique, impotence, depression, schizophrenia, and senility. It preserves glutathione in the liver and protects that organ from the effects of acetaminophen overdose. It enhances antioxidant protection. L-glutamine decreases sugar cravings and the desire for alcohol and is useful for recovering alcoholics. Many plant and animal substances contain glutamine, but it is easily destroyed by cooking. If eaten raw, spinach and parsley are good sources. Supplemental glutamine must be kept absolutely dry or the powder will degrade into ammonia and pyroglutamic acid. Glutamine should not be taken by persons with cirrhosis of the liver, kidney problems, Reye’s syndrome, or any type of disorder that can result in an accumulation of ammonia in the blood. For such individuals, taking supplemental glutamine may only cause further damage to the body.

The top 4 Oils that should be included in your diet.

The top 4 Oils that should be included in your diet.

1. Coconut Oil: Organic virgin coconut oil is one of the best choices of good fat you can add to your diet. Coconut oil contains 90% saturated fat and is made up of medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs) which are easily digestible and can drastically improve your health. MCFA’s are not stored as fat because they are immediately converted to energy once in the body. This oil is also very good to cook with because it remains stable even under high temperatures. Coconut oil contains lauric acid (a known immune stimulant), is rich in fiber, and contains essential vitamins and minerals. Organic raw unrefined extra virgin coconut oil is the best to use and should be solid at room temperature.

Benefits of consuming coconut oil include: Weight loss, immune system support, cardiovascular health, increased energy, thyroid support, healthy skin, hair and nails, improved cell regeneration, disables fungus, bacteria and viruses, improves insulin secretions and protection against free radicals.


2. Hempseed Oil: Hemp Seed oil is derived from the seeds of the plant cannabis sativa. It provides all the essential fatty acids (EFA’s) and essential amino acids, structured in an easily digestible form to maintain human life. The oil is composed of 80% essential fatty acids, the highest in the plant kingdom. It contains the Omega 3,6 and 9 fatty acids. No other plant oil has a perfect 3:1 ratio of Omega 6 to Omega 3 EFA’s. Hemp seed oil is also great for vegetarians because it provides them with healthy fatty acids without having to consume fish oil. Hempseed oil is also rich in vitamin E and is the only plant which provides a source of Vitamin D.

Benefits of consuming Hemp Seed oil include: Cardiovascular support, natural sunblock agent, helps high blood pressure, reduces PMS, lowers high cholesterol, reduces inflammation, calms arthritis, soothes eczema, assists the brain and nervous system, produces healthy cell membranes, healthy skin, nails and hair, and can be used as skin moisturizer without clogging pores.



3. Flaxseed Oil: Flaxseed oil is extracted from the seeds of the flax plant. This oil contains 55% of Omega 3 fatty acid by weight. Omega-3 refers to three types of fatty acids, alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Once consumed, the human body converts ALA to EPA and DHA. This oil is also high in fiber and potassium. Flaxseed oil requires special packaging because it is easily destroyed by oxygen, heat and light. It is best to purchase organic flaxseed oil and keep it refrigerated to preserve freshness.

Benefits of consuming Flaxeed oil include: Helps crohns disease, colitis, soothes intestinal walls, natural laxative, reduces high cholesterol, promotes healthy hair, nails and skin, reduces symptoms of menopause and helps burn body fat.

4. Olive Oil: Olive oil has been used as a medicine and health aid since it was first cultivated around 5000BC. It is a monounstaurated fat and contains vital vitamins, nutrients and antioxidants. Olive oil has a large amount of vitamins A, D, and K, as well as vitamin E, which are key sources needed to prevent free radical damage. When purchasing make sure the olive oil is organic, cold pressed and extra virgin.

Benefits of consuming olive oil include: Promotes healthy digestion, protects against heart disease, eases symptoms of gastritis and ulcers, lowers gallstone formation and reduces high cholesterol.

Overcoming Bad Habits, Cravings and establishing new Healthier Habits.

Overcoming Bad Habits, Cravings and establishing new Healthier Habits.

Winter has arrived and this year so far it's been cold and wet. We have much less sunlight and the weather is just miserable. With less time outdoors we become sedentary and our immune system is depleted. Flu season is in full swing and to top things off many of us tend to gain weight and go through some form of depression this time of year.

Re-aligning our biological or neural pathways is one of the most powerful things people experience when they go through the transformation process. And it happens, of course, whether you know about it or not. I believe that being consciously aware of the process can be an advantage, especially in terms of “relapse prevention.” In this context, I’ll say relapse is completely falling back into old and unhealthy eating habits.


Think of it this way – the old circuitry in our brains is like a dry river bed. It’s always there, and as long as you’re consciously diverting the energy flow in a new direction, it’ll remain inactive. However, if we drift back into our old style of thinking, coping and behaving, slowly but surely, it’ll eventually get to a point where it’s like a damn bursts and the energy of those past patterns and it’s like water gushing through the river bed again. When this happens, the pull of those cravings and thoughts may even be stronger than they were before. Anyone who’s yo-yo dieted, losing weight for a few months, only to fall back into unhealthy eating habits, and subsequently gaining all the weight back and more, has first-hand experience of this.

The good news is, there’s a solution and a sustainable one at that.

Albert Einstein said," The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over expecting different results".

Once we realize that what we did before we started with the diet and the training is what got us where we were before in the first place, we can understand that we can not go back to that same place or we end up right back where we started and in some people even worse than before.

DO NOT SET TIME LIMITS ON YOUR GOALS OR YOU WILL FALL RIGHT BACK INTO THE SAME OLD ROUTINE ONCE YOU'VE FINISHED THAT TIME FRAME!!!

Please understand you did not get in the shape you're in overnight and you can't permanently fix it overnight either.

When I work with people who are seemingly stuck in any unhealthy pattern, one of my first recommendations is to get moving with high-intensity interval training. Intense, interval training has been scientifically shown to double, even triple, the amount of fat the body burns, compared to longer duration (an hour or more) of moderate intensity exercise. It does this by boosting mitochondria size and number within cells and that can dramatically increase the oxidation and metabolism of stored body-fat for many hours after your workout is over. That means the ”calories burned” reading on exercise equipment is very under reported. What we really want is to burn more fat calories all day not just while we are doing our workout.

Another one of the powerful benefits of intense interval training is that is releases healthy amounts of neurotransmitters called catecholamines (dopamine, epinephrine, norepinephrine), which satisfy the primary reward centers of the brain, boost energy and further accelerate fat loss. These reward centers all too often become chemically depleted by our modern way of life (inactivity, high stress levels, all work no play lifestyles). When neurotransmitter levels burn out, it can make us vulnerable to bad habits like binge eating.

Another fact is many of us get caught up taking fat burners and become chemically dependent of these products because they too will stimulate neurotransmitters as well. Sad thing is once you stop taking them you fall right back into the same old trap and that's if your training or not. Remember anytime you place a chemical in the body it will have side effects.

More good news: Intense training also increases endorphin and serotonin levels (which make the brain happy); so much so, that over a period of a few months, it is more effective in treating depression than the most widely prescribed (212 million prescriptions written last year) anti-depressant drugs. And what do you know, the intense exercise no side effects which can’t be said for the prescription drugs.

Once our bodies start responding hormonally and we start to feel the positive effects of our efforts we can easily establish new habits that will keep us in shape and motivated to continue. Remember the body adapts to its environment. Remove the toxic fast foods and sugar from your diet and push your body to its limits and you will see results that will amaze you.

The biggest obstacle to overcome is to kick the addiction of sugar and it's harmful effects on the body. As I mentioned in several articles in the past, L-Glutamine taken before every meal and a healthy dose before bed time will also aid you in overcoming the sugar addiction and cravings for other foods. Now combine proper nutrition along with intense interval training and you are fueling your body and your brain for success.

So here’s my recommendation: If you want to flip the switch from an unhealthy to a healthy appetite and enjoy all the benefits which come with that, be sure to incorporate high-intensity interval training into your training program. It will help you break free from old patterns and crazy cravings. It will also help you create new ones. And that, in turn, will help you enjoy improved results that you can sustain for a long, long time.