Fact: It not about counting Calories it's understanding what those calories really are and how your digestive system reacts to them!
To Optimize Your Health, Pay Attention to the SOURCE of Your Calories
In order to curb the current obesity epidemic, we do not need more accurate reporting of calories; we need to start focusing on eating the right kind of calories. I firmly believe that the primary keys for successful weight management and optimal health are:
- Severely restricting carbohydrates (sugars, fructose, and grains) in your diet
- Increasing healthy fat consumption
- Unlimited consumption of non starchy vegetables. Because they are so low calorie, the majority of the food on your plate will be vegetables
- Limit the use of protein to less than one gram per pound of lean body mass weight, not total body weight. In order to know this you must know your body fat percentage.
Healthful fat can be rich in calories, but these calories will not affect your body in the same way as calories from non-vegetable carbs. As explained by Dr. Robert Lustig, fructose in particular is "isocaloric but not isometabolic." This means you can have the same amount of calories from fructose or glucose, fructose and protein, or fructose and fat, but the metabolic effect will be entirely different despite the identical calorie count. Eating dietary fat isn’t what’s making you pack on the pounds. It’s the sugar/fructose and grains that are adding the padding.
So please, don’t fall for the low-fat myth, as this too is a factor in the rise in chronic health problems such as heart disease and Alzheimer’s. Your brain, heart and cardiovascular system need healthy fat for optimal functioning. In fact, emerging evidence suggests most people need at least half of their daily calories from healthy fat, and possibly as high as 70 percent. Add to that a small to medium amount of high-quality protein and plenty of vegetables. You actually need very few carbs besides vegetables; so you see, the federal guidelines are about as lopsided as they could be... pushing you toward obesity and poor health, if you follow them.
Hunger Can Be Used as a Guide to Determine How Much Fat You Need
Many do not realize this, but frequent hunger may be a major clue that you're not eating correctly and are using carbs as your primary fuel. Not only is it an indication that you're consuming the wrong types of food, but it's also a sign that you're likely consuming them in lopsided ratios for your individual biochemistry, and the timing of your eating may benefit from adjustment. Fat is far more satiating than carbs, so if you have cut down on carbs and feel ravenous, thinking you "can't do without the carbs," remember this is a sign that you haven't replaced them with sufficient amounts of fat. So go ahead and add a bit more. You do want to make sure you're adding the correct types of fat though. And vegetable oils like canola and corn oil, with the National Institutes of Health (NIH) recommends is NOT on the healthy list… Sources of healthy fats include:
- Olives and olive oil
- Coconuts and coconut oil
- Butter made from raw grass-fed organic milk
- Raw nuts, such as almonds or pecans
- Organic pastured egg yolks
- Avocados
- Grass-fed meats
- Palm oil
- Unheated organic nut oils
Another healthful fat you want to be mindful of is animal-based omega-3. Deficiency in this essential fat can cause or contribute to very serious health problems, both mental and physical, and may be a significant underlying factor of up to 96,000 premature deaths each year.
Mark Harris, PhD
Exercise Physiologist/Nutritionist
TexasMetabolics@gmail.com
Texas Metabolics
8. Flip-Flops
They’re a summer staple for many, but the structure of the shoe, including having to “hold” it on with your toes as you take each step, actually alters your gait. Not only can this cause issues with your lower legs, knees and hips, but also wearing flip-flops can cause back pain.
7. Your Wallet
Do you keep your wallet in your back pocket? Sitting on this can throw your spine out of alignment, leading to muscle imbalances and tension that cause back and neck pain. A wallet in your back pocket can also compress your sciatic nerve, leading to sciatica and its related pain in your lower back or legs.
6. Your Couch
If you slouch or sit in an uncomfortable position, your muscles and ligaments can become overstretched, fatigued and strained over time.
Sitting actually puts more pressure on your back than standing, and when done for long periods, especially in an improper position such as with your neck craned to see the television, it creates muscle imbalances that are at the root cause of many cases of back and neck pain.
5. Shoulder and Piggyback Rides
Carrying your child on your shoulders or via piggyback is practical and fun, but the lifting process can easily stress and strain your back, neck and shoulders. Over time, this simple act can lead to muscle imbalances that cause chronic pain.
4. Sleeping on Your Stomach
This is arguably one of the worst positions to sleep in from a pain perspective, as it forces your head to turn to one side or the other, virtually guaranteeing that you’ll wake up with a sore and stiff neck. Ideally, try to sleep on your back or side instead, but if you’re a devout stomach sleeper, a soft thin pillow that allows your head and neck to stay in a straight line with your spine is best.
3. Neckties
If your necktie is too tight, it can easily increase muscle tension in your back, neck and shoulders. How tight is too tight? If you can’t slip a finger between your neck and your shirt collar, your tie is too tight.
2. The Wrong Chair
The average American spends anywhere from eight to 12 hours a day sitting, but doing so in a chair that causes you to sit up straight at a 90-degree angle can actually cause chronic back problems.
This is because sitting too upright places strain on your spine, which in turn causes your spinal disks to move and become misaligned. Many office chairs on the market will, unfortunately, keep your posture fixed in the 90-degree position, thereby potentially making your back pain worse.
Ideally, your chair should be designed in such a way that it reclines slightly and prevents you from slouching; only the best ergonomic chairs will do this.
1. A Long Commute
Do you spend a lot of time driving? If so it’s imperative that your seat is at the proper angle to your steering wheel to avoid back and neck strain. If you slouch forward at all in order to drive, muscle imbalances will inevitably result, and these are a key underlying factor in many cases of back and neck pain.
Mark Harris, PhD
Exercise Physiologist/Nutritionist
TexasMetabolics@gmail.com
Texas Metabolics
In all, coconut oil offers a truly impressive array of health benefits when included in your daily diet. In addition to its antimicrobial properties, coconut oil is beneficial for:
- Promoting heart health.
- Supporting proper thyroid function.
- Promoting healthy brain function.
- Strengthening your immune system.
- Providing an excellent “fuel” for your body and supporting a strong metabolism that can aid in weight loss.
- Maintaining healthy and youthful looking skin.
While coconut oil is an ideal food for fostering health and beauty from the inside out, it also has a staggering number of other uses, from topical beauty applications to first aid treatments, to general household cleaning. Once you’re done reading through this article, you’ll probably be inspired to stock up for all eventualities!
One of the best personal care products you'll ever find may be sitting in your kitchen cupboard right now, that's right it's coconut oil! For example, coconut oil can be used to replace the following personal care and beauty products.
- Makeup remover: Swipe on with a moist cotton ball. Wipe off with clean cotton ball or wet washcloth.
- Facial cleanser: Massage a dollop of coconut oil onto face and neck. Wash off with wet washcloth and pat dry.
- Body scrub: Mix equal parts coconut oil with organic cane sugar in a glass jar. Use the scrub on dry skin prior to your shower or bath.
- Facial scrub: Instead of sugar, mix coconut oil with baking soda, or oatmeal with a dash of cinnamon, for a gentle facial scrub.
- Shaving lotion: Apply a thin layer of coconut oil on area to be shaved, and shave as usual. The lauric acid in the coconut oil will also serve as an antiseptic for cuts that result from shaving.
- Face and body moisturizer: You can use it either by itself, or add your favorite essential oil. (Make sure you’re using a high quality essential oil that is safe for topical application.) The featured article6 also suggests whipping the coconut oil with an electric mixer to produce a fluffy moisturizer that stays soft and spreadable even in cooler temperatures.
When applied topically, coconut oil helps to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles by helping to keep your connective tissues strong and supple, and aids in exfoliating the outer layer of dead skin cells, making your skin smoother.
- Eye cream: Apply a thin layer of coconut oil around your eyes to soften wrinkles and counteract thinning, sagging skin.
- Cuticle cream: Simply rub a small amount of coconut oil around your cuticles to soften dry areas.
- Deodorant: Applying a small amount of coconut oil directly onto your armpits can help keep odors at bay, courtesy of the oil’s antibacterial properties. If you prefer, you can add a small amount of baking soda, or make a homemade deodorant using coconut oil, baking soda and arrow root powder. For directions, see the second video above. DeliciousObsessions.com also lists additional deodorant recipes using coconut oil as the base.
- Bath soak: Adding coconut oil to your bath can help moisturize dry itchy skin. (Make sure to scrub your tub afterward to prevent slipping!). Make sure the water is warmer than 76 degrees Fahrenheit though, otherwise the oil will turn to a solid.
- Soap: Coconut oil is one of the base ingredients in many homemade soap recipes, such as this one by NourishingJoy.com
- Lip balm: You can either apply a small amount of coconut oil, as is, or make your own lip balm using coconut oil as one of the base ingredients. You can find all sorts of recipes online, but here’s one by The Liberated Kitchen.
- Toothpaste: Mixed with baking soda, coconut oil can replace your regular toothpaste. The baking soda will gently cleanse while the coconut oil’s antibacterial action may help keep harmful bacteria in check. For recipes using essential oils to spruce up your toothpaste, see DeliciousObsessions.com.
- Insect repellent: Mixing coconut oil with high quality essential oils may help keep biting insects at bay when applied to exposed skin. Effective choices include: peppermint, lemon balm, rosemary, tea tree oil, neem, citronella (Java Citronella), geraniol, catnip oil (according to one study, catnip oil is 10 times more effective than DEET), and/or clear vanilla extract.
Mark Harris, PhD
Exercise Physiologist/Nutritionist
TexasMetabolics@gmail.com
Texas Metabolics
Apples are packed with disease-fighting vitamins, antioxidants and more, making one of the top-ranked fruits for your health.
Eating apples has been linked to a lower risk of chronic diseases including type 2 diabetes, cancer, heart disease, and dementia.
Eating apples in their whole form, not juicing them, will give you the synergistic blend of nutrients and fiber the way nature intended, yielding greater health benefits than apple juice.
A wealth of research suggests that eating apples may impact your health in a number of beneficial ways:
1. Brain Health: Apples have been found to protect neuron cells against oxidative stress-induced neurotoxicity and may play an important role in reducing the risk of neurodegenerative disorders, such as Alzheimer's disease.
2. Stroke: Eating apples is linked to a decreased risk of stroke.
3. Diabetes: Three servings of apples (and other fruits, such as blueberries and grapes) is linked to a lower risk of type 2 diabetes. This may be due to their beneficial role in blood sugar regulation, as apples contain compounds that may:
- Lessen absorption of glucose from your digestive tract.
- Stimulate beta cells in your pancreas to secrete insulin.
- Increase uptake of glucose from your blood by stimulating insulin receptors
4. Cancer: Apples have a number of properties that may help reduce the risk of cancer, including antimutagenic activity, antioxidant activity, anti-inflammatory mechanisms, antiproliferative and apoptosis-inducing activity, as well as "novel mechanisms on epigenetic events and innate immunity
According to the journal Planta Medica:
- "Apple products have been shown to prevent skin, mammary and colon carcinogenesis in animal models."
- "Epidemiological observations indicate that regular consumption of one or more apples a day may reduce the risk for lung and colon cancer.”
5. Heart Disease: Eating apples is associated with a lower risk of death from heart disease, an association that’s thought to be related to their content of antioxidant flavonoids.
Mark Harris, PhD
Exercise Physiologist/Nutritionist
TexasMetabolics@gmail.com
Texas Metabolics
It’s important to realize that the government’s nutritional guidelines are in large part mirrored by agricultural subsidies. They’re NOT built upon sound nutritional science. In short, the reason you’re told to make grains the cornerstone of your diet is because that’s what farmers are paid to grow in the US. There’s a lot of it, and it’s inexpensive compared to healthier foods like vegetables, for which few subsidies are offered.
The wacky and nutritionally inappropriate 1992 Food Pyramid had grains as the largest bottom block of the pyramid, encouraging you to eat 6-11 servings of bread, cereal, rice and pasta each day. This excess of carbohydrates, most of them refined, is precisely the kind of diet that promotes fat accumulation and drives insulin resistance and related diseases, including diabetes, heart disease and cancer. At the very top of the pyramid was fats and sugar, and while sugar clearly belongs there, fats do not.
As mentioned earlier, most people would benefit from getting anywhere from 50 to 70 percent of their total calories from healthy fats. Saturated fats from animal and vegetable sources provide a number of important health benefits, and your body requires them for the proper function of your:
- Cell membranes
- Heart
- Bones (to assimilate calcium)
- Liver
- Lungs
- Hormones
- Immune system
- Satiety (reducing hunger)
- Genetic regulation
The food pyramid was replaced with “MyPlate” in 2011, which slightly downplayed grains as the most important dietary ingredient, making vegetables the largest “slice.” One of its most glaring problems with MyPlate is that it virtually removed all fats from the equation! In fact, except for a small portion of dairy, which is advised to be fat-free or low-fat, fats are missing entirely.
There is no mention of the importance of dietary fats, even the "politically correct" ones like the monounsaturated fats in olive oil and nuts, such as pecans (canola oil is also in this category, but I advise avoiding it and using coconut oil instead). Even one of the most critical of all fats is absent from the plate, namely animal-based omega-3 fats. Deficiency in this essential fat can cause or contribute to very serious health problems, both mental and physical, and may be a significant underlying factor of up to 96,000 premature deaths each year.
Studies Showing Saturated Fat is Not Associated with Increased Heart Disease Risk
As mentioned earlier, mounting scientific evidence supports saturated fat as a necessary part of a heart healthy diet, and firmly debunks the myth that saturated fat promotes heart disease. For example:
In a 1992 editorial published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, Dr. William Castelli, a former director of the Framingham Heart study, stated:
"In Framingham, Mass., the more saturated fat one ate, the more cholesterol one ate, the more calories one ate, the lower the person’s serum cholesterol. The opposite of what… Keys et al would predict…We found that the people who ate the most cholesterol, ate the most saturated fat, ate the most calories, weighed the least and were the most physically active."
A 2010 meta-analysis, which pooled data from 21 studies and included nearly 348,000 adults, found no difference in the risks of heart disease and stroke between people with the lowest and highest intakes of saturated fat.
Another 2010 study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that a reduction in saturated fat intake must be evaluated in the context of replacement by other macronutrients, such as carbohydrates.
When you replace saturated fat with a higher carbohydrate intake, particularly refined carbohydrate, you exacerbate insulin resistance and obesity, increase triglycerides and small LDL particles, and reduce beneficial HDL cholesterol. The authors state that dietary efforts to improve your cardiovascular disease risk should primarily emphasize the limitation of refined carbohydrate intake, and weight reduction.
Mark Harris, PhD
Exercise Physiologist/Nutritionist
TexasMetabolics@gmail.com
Texas Metabolics
When you were a kid, how many times were you firmly reminded, “Eat your spinach!”?
Just as it was back then, it’s definitely important to make spinach a major staple in your diet…whether you think you like it or not.
For me, like many kids, spinach was pretty high on my “Gross, do I really have to eat this?” vegetable list (right up there with Brussels sprouts!).
I don’t know if it was just an aversion to the mushy-looking texture, or that it reminded me of grass that compelled me turn my nose up every time it was put on my plate. But it didn’t matter, because despite my defiance, my mom always said, “Eat it, it’s good for you”.
And I’m sure you already know how that story ended. Every single time. I’d eat my spinach (and my Brussels sprouts), and after all of the dinner-time drama, I still survived.
Like always, my mom was right. There is real scientific proof that there are a multitude of reasons why spinach is great for your health.
Spinach is actually regarded as one of the “healthiest foods in the world”! Who knew???
The general appearance of the soft leafy green vegetable may seem quite ordinary, but beneath it’s diminutive exterior, spinach hosts an unbelievable amount of powerful nutrients.
Spinach is packed full of Vitamins A, B1, B2, B6, and Vitamins C, E, and K, calcium, folate (the natural form of folic acid), copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, niacin, potassium, selenium, and zinc. And if that’s not enough, it’s also a good source of fiber and protein…and Omega-3 fatty acids. Whew!
So with all of that, what is spinach going to do for your body?
Bone Health
You might be surprised to know that Vitamin K is a big player when it comes to keeping your bones healthy. In fact, if you eat just one cup of fresh spinach leaves, you’ll be getting close to 200% of your daily value of Vitamin K.
But if you really want to kick things up a notch, boil the cup of spinach. Because cooking the spinach makes it 6 times more powerful, it’ll get you more than 1000% of the daily value!
However, spinach does have one little weakness. It contains oxalic acid, which unfortunately causes a problem when your body is trying to absorb calcium and iron.
But no worries, there’s an easy way to get around this inconvenience. Just include a food with some Vitamin C to accompany your fresh spinach, and all will be fine. Oranges, the obvious Vitamin C source, would be a good example.
But did you know that guava, kiwi fruit, papaya and strawberries each contain more Vitamin C than oranges? Other good Vitamin C sources are cantaloupe, red bell peppers, broccoli, and sweet potatoes. So there are plenty of options to accompany your spinach in order to achieve the maximum benefits for your bones.
Digestive Health
Spinach also provides awesome anti-inflammatory protection, especially for your digestive health. Scientific studies have shown that spinach contains molecules, known as glycoglycerolipids, that fend off inflammation that tries to attack the lining of your digestive tract
Aside from damaging your tummy, inflammation can cause many major health problems, and increase your cancer risk. But eating spinach can help protect you.
Compared to other phytonutrient containing veggies, spinach wins the prize, hands down! Researchers have discovered over 12 different flavonoids alone, and along with the carotenoids, these phytonutrients can reduce inflammation, as well as your risk for getting something more serious.
Skin Health
Your skin is the largest organ, covering the entirety of your outer body, but is often overlooked when it comes to considering our sense of general health.
Your skin can actually be showing you signs of a health problem that needs attention. So while you may not realize it, taking care of your skin is just as important as anything else when it comes to being healthy.
Spinach (of course) plays a role in protecting your precious outer layer. All of those vitamins and minerals can help ease dry, itchy skin, and improve your appearance giving you a healthy, radiant complexion.
The antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties spinach provides also helps with those pesky wrinkles (an none of us want those, right?).
Eye Health
Spinach is abundant in lutein and zeaxanthin, the most important antioxidants when it comes to your eyes, particularly the retina and macula.
Researchers have seen an increase in lutein in those who consumed normal amounts of spinach in a day, suggesting that this leafy green may help in preventing age-related macular degeneration.
Heart Health
All of those phytonutrients, as well as other nutrients (Vitamin C and E, Beta-carotene, zinc and selenium, for example) also allow spinach to provide you with some major antioxidant benefits.eyes
Oxidative stress can wreak havoc on your body, resulting in numerous health problems, such as hypertension and artherosclerosis.
Research studies have found several peptides (small protein fragments) in spinach that can help lower blood pressure. These peptides, with the assistance of the antioxidants, aid in keeping your blood vessels healthy. And maintaining healthy blood vessels helps keep your heart healthy, by decreasing your risk of having high blood pressure and clogged arteries.
Before heading out to purchase spinach, here are a few tips you should consider:
- Go organic. Spinach is one of those foods that are worth spending a little extra for. You really want to avoid consuming non-organic spinach, because a normal washing won’t necessarily remove the heavy coating of toxic pesticides.
- Take your pick. There are actually 3 varieties of spinach that are usually available in most markets. There’s savoy spinach, (with crisp, creased curly leaves), smooth-leaf spinach, (with a flat, smooth and spade-shaped leaf), and semi-savoy (resembles savoy, but less wrinkly). Then there is baby spinach, likely considered the most popular of the spinach family. It has a mild and subtle flavor, and is perfect for salads.
- Give it a good look-over. You’ll want to choose fresh, vibrant green spinach leaves, with no yellowing, wilting or bruising.
- Skip the canned goods and freezer aisle. Fresh is always the way to go if you want the best flavor, texture, and health benefits.
- Go toward the light. If you prefer the convenience of those bags and clear plastic containers, that’s perfectly okay. In fact, a study recently confirmed that baby spinach stored in a clear container, which allowed the leaves some light exposure, did not affect the integrity of the antioxidants. The 9 day study concluded that this type of storage, refrigerated at a consistent temperature of 39*F/4*C (comparable to your home fridge temp.), actually retained more of its nutrients than spinach that was stored in total darkness at the same temperature.
- Eat it today. Consuming your spinach as fresh as possible (the day of purchase) is always best. But if you have leftovers, avoid washing it before storing it away. Moisture will spoil your spinach. To keep it fresh, place it in a resealable plastic bag or airtight plastic container, ensuring that you’ve removed all of the air from the bag/container.
Drink It Up
Enjoying a sip of spinach is shown to be the healthiest way to consume this veggie. Just blend it in with a few other veggies, toss in a fruit or two, and drink to your health. You can add that kiwi (or other fruit) for your vitamin C bonus, ice to chill, and even an avocado if you like a creamier texture.
Cook It Up
There are a couple of benefits for cooking your spinach, that you just can’t get from its raw form. Remember that oxalic acid? Cooking for just a minute (as in 60 seconds only) reduces that problem, without sacrificing the nutrients and flavor.
The other major benefit for cooking your spinach are some serious nutritional bonus points compared to when consuming it in the raw.
Mark Harris, PhD
Exercise Physiologist/Nutritionist
TexasMetabolics@gmail.com
Texas Metabolics
