Dangers of Artificial Sweeteners

by Nashville personal trainer Dan DeFigio

 

What if I told you that there was a chemical added to many foods that could cause brain damage in you and your children?

If I showed you evidence that something many people drink every day could be precipitating some of the degenerative neurological diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, would you be upset?

Would it surprise you to learn that the FDA has approved several food additives to sweeten food
which have been proven to increase the risk of brain tumors and thyroid problems?

You can either believe the FDA position stand that these chemicals are "generally regarded as safe in moderation",
or you can investigate the science and research yourself. I suggest you do the latter. Here is what I have found.

 

Artificial sweeteners work by causing neuroexcitation in a part of the brain that causes us to perceive a sweet taste.
The problem is, these chemical sweeteners over-stimulate the neurons, to the point where they literally self-destruct.

MSG and NutraSweet are especially dangerous for babies (both in and out of the womb), because infants' brains are not yet protected by the blood-brain barrier. My own theory explaining some of the enormous rise in the incidence of autism in American children is that it is due to the mothers' use of these chemicals while pregnant, and the prevalence of these chemicals in processed
food for babies and toddlers. I am not making this up -- I will encourage you to investigate the research in such journals as
The Journal of Child Neurology, Biomed Biochim Acta, International Journal of Neuroscience, and Journal of Neurochemistry.

Let's look at some of the specific sweeteners and their associated dangers:

 

MSG (monosodium glutamate)

Most folks are aware that this one is bad news. Here's why:

Brain damage. Excessive glutamate in the brain kills glutamate receptors and neurons connected to it.
This has huge implications for Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.

Weight gain. MSG increases the amount on insulin produced by the pancreas. One of the standard
laboratory practices to create obese mice and rats is to inject them with MSG. They are even referred
to as "monosodium-glutamate-obese rats" in the research reports! I am not joking -- go to www.pubmed.com
and search for "MSG obese".

Retinal cell damage.

Hypothalmus damage. The hypothalmus controls other endocrine glands like thyroid, adrenals, etc.

Increases appetite. The pro-MSG lobbying web site (www.msgfacts.com) used to boast that one of the
benefits of MSG use for food manufacturers was that it caused people to eat more of their products!

Other names for MSG

Because MSG gets so much bad publicity, food manufacturers will hide MSG behind these names:

• Hydrolyzed vegetable protein
• Natural flavoring
• Spices
• Plant protein extract
• Sodium casienate
• Yeast extract
• Textured (vegetable) protein
• Hydrolyzed oat flour
• Malt flavoring
• Natural beef (or chicken) flavoring

Why is this legal? Somebody help me out here!

 

NutraSweet (aspartame)

Brain damage. Like MSG, aspartame kills glutamate receptors and neurons connected to it.
This has huge implications for Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.

Increased appetite. NutraSweet supresses production of seratonin, which is one
of the neurotransmitters that makes you feel full and satisfied. When your serotonin levels
are not allowed to rise as they normally do when you eat, you crave more and more food.

Methanol (wood alcohol). Aspartame is 10% methanol, which according to the European Journal
of Clinical Nutrition, "can give rise to formaldehyde, diketopiperazine (a carcinogen,) and a number
of other highly toxic derivatives."  [Homer Simpson voice] "Mmmm....Highly toxic derivatives...."

Brain tumors. In experiments to test the safety of aspartame before its FDA approval in 1981,
animals fed NutraSweet developed 25 times as many brain tumors as the control animals.

 

Splenda (sucralose)

Good news -- apparently sucralose doesn't cross the blood-brain barrier, so it shouldn't
cause brain damage.

Bad news -- Splenda is a chlorocarbon, which is a known carcinogen (and is used as a pesticide too).
The chlorocarbons have long been known for causing organ, genetic, and reproductive damage.

Immune system suppression. The testing of sucralose reveals that it can cause up to 40 percent
shrinkage of the thymus -- a gland that is vital to our immune system.

More sucralose trouble -- In animal studies, Splenda reduces the amount of good bacteria in the intestines
by 50%, acidifies the intestines, and contributes to increases in body weight. It also affects the P-glycoprotein
in the body in such a way that certain medications (chemotherapy, AIDS treatment, and drugs for heart conditions)
could be rejected by shunting them back into the intestines rather than being absorbed by the body as intended.

Splenda was approved by the FDA as a sweetener in 1998. The approval was based on more than 110 animal and human safety studies. However, what they don't specify was that out of these 110 studies, only two were human studies, consisting of a combined total of 36 people, of which only 23 people actually ingested sucralose. Additionally, the longest of these two human trials lasted only four days and looked at sucralose in relation to tooth decay, not human tolerance!

What Should We Do?

Don't eat products with these chemicals (or their hidden pseudonymns) on the label.

Without getting into too much biochemistry, suffice to say that supplemental vitamin E,
vitamin C, Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), and acetyl l-carnitine have powerful neuroprotective
(brain-protecting) properties. Preliminary research on alpha-lipoic acid may look good too.

If you must eat or drink something with MSG or Nutrasweet, make sure there are some
carbohydrates in your system. The damage that these chemicals cause to your brain is
much worse when your glucose levels are low. One of the worst things you can do to your
brain is drink a diet soda on an empty stomach!

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Creatine

by Nashville personal trainer Dan DeFigio

WHAT IS CREATINE MONOHYDRATE?

Creatine (methylguanido-acetic acid) is a compound that is vital to the process that supplies energy to our muscles. Creatine is taken up by the muscles cells where an enzyme called creatine kinase bonds creatine to a phosphate group. The resulting compound is creatine phosphate (also called phosphocreatine), and it is stored in muscle cells until the phosphate bonds are broken in order to produce adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which is the substance our bodies use to fuel muscular contractions. The bottom line for muscular performance is that your ability to regenerate ATP depends on your supply of creatine. The more creatine you have in your muscles, the more ATP you can regenerate, allowing your muscles to function at their maximum potential. We obtain creatine from meat and fish in our diets, and our bodies also make it from the amino acids arginine, methionine, and glycine.

DO I NEED A CREATINE SUPPLEMENT?

Between what your body makes and the small amount found in foods (you'd have to eat 5 lbs. of steak to get 10 grams of creatine!), most people have muscle creatine levels that are just a fraction of what they could be. The average person uses about 2 grams of creatine daily, which is the amount that is usually eaten and synthesized in a day; thus the average person maintains creatine balance. Athletes, however, are not average people. High intensity exercise rapidly depletes creatine stores, thus limiting performance. An athlete with higher creatine levels will be stronger, faster, and last longer than one with low muscle creatine levels. A dietary creatine supplement is a proven performance enhancer for any athlete whose activities involve short, intense bursts of energy - weightlifters, sprinters, martial artists, football players, swimmers, etc. There is no evidence to my knowledge that indicates whether or not creatine supplementation improves endurance - long distance running or cycling - but there is some preliminary evidence that creatine may act as a lactic acid buffer. Further research will provide more answers.

IS IT SAFE?

Creatine is not a steroid or a drug. It is a perfectly natural substance, and any extra creatine in your system is excreted. Creatine has been proven to be very safe, even when used in relatively large quantities. The only adverse effects reported in any of the studies are diuresis, occasional gastric upset, and, according to Dr. Paul Balson in a 1994 Sports Medicine review, "an increase in body mass." I suspect that most athletes (especially bodybuilders) will gladly accept this "adverse effect." Athletes have been supplementing with creatine for 40 or 50 years, and none of the research to date shows any negative effects of creatine supplementation.

CLICK HERE TO READ THE SUMMARY OF THE
NATIONAL STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING ASSOCIATION CREATINE SYMPOSIUM, JUNE 1998

HOW DO I USE CREATINE?

Creatine monohydrate is the best form to use as a supplement. Other forms are either ineffective or less concentrated. Creatine monohydrate is sold in powder or capsule form. I recommend powder - correct dosages require swallowing an awful lot of capsules! There are two options for saturating creatine stores in muscle. Option one is to use a loading phase. Take a 4 gram (slightly less than a flat teaspoon) serving, dissolved in liquid, four or five times daily for 4 or 5 days. Then drop to a maintenance dose of one or two servings daily.

Option two is simply to begin taking one or two maintenance doses every day. In about a month, your creatine levels will reach what they would be after the loading phase.

Buy creatine monohydrate from established, reputable companies like EAS, Twinlab, Nature's Best, Weider Nutrition, and SportPharma. Some "discount" supplements contain little or no actual creatine, and may contain undesirable additives. Creatine uptake is markedly enhanced by ingesting it with some simple (high glycemic) carbohydrates*. The added insulin response transports more creatine into the muscles. EAS sells a product called Phosphagen HP that has carbs and other creatine uptake enhancers mixed in. I recommend it highly. A recent study showed Phosphagen HP boosted anaerobic performance 30% more than creatine alone1. Take your maintenance dose any time on non-training days. Do not take it on an empty stomach - 'screaming diarrhea' is the operative phrase here. On workout days, take one dose 1 or 2 hours before your workout, and one dose with your post-workout shake or meal.

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN I STOP TAKING CREATINE?

Your muscle creatine levels will gradually drop back to pre-supplementation levels over the course of one or two months.

*Glycemic value is a measure of the speed at which a carbohydrate is broken down and released into the bloodstream. Several glycemic indicies are available here.

1 Stout JR, et al., "The Effects of a Supplement Designed to Augment Creatine Uptake on Anaerobic Reserve Capacity" NSCA National Conference Abstract 1997.

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Here are some charts reprinted from Creatine: Nature's Muscle Builder by Dr. Ray Sahelian and Dave Tuttle (Avery Publishing Group, Garden City Park, NY).

Creatine Daily Maintenance Dosages (in grams)

BODYWEIGHT

LEVEL 1

LEVEL 2

LEVEL 3

up to 155 lbs	4	6	8
156 - 175 lbs	5	7	9
176 - 199 lbs	6	8	10
200 - 225 lbs	7	9	11
over 225 lbs	8	10	12

level 1: 2 or 3 workouts per week, low intensity
level 2: 3 or 4 workouts per week, medium intensity
level 3: 4 to 6 workouts per week, high intensity

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Creatine Content of Some Foods (g/kg):

Beef: 4.5
Cod: 3.0
Herring: 6.5
Pork: 5.0
Salmon: 4.5
Tuna: 4.0

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Insulin Control - How to Control Insulin Levels with Diet

by Nashville personal trainer Dan DeFigio

The Atkins diet. The Zone diet. South Beach. Sugarbusters and Protein Power. The common thread that connects all these popular weight loss programs is emphasis on controlling insulin levels. Chronically elevated insulin levels are responsible for a number of major problems, including adult onset diabetes and the inability to burn fat. Excess insulin is converted to bodyfat within hours, and the end result of high insulin levels is a hormonal cascade that turns on the appetite center to make you crave more and more sugar. Unless you're diabetic, your body's insulin production is very predictable, and is directly related to eating patterns. In order to achieve permanent bodyfat control, you must learn to control your insulin production.

1) Never eat too much at one time. A good rule of thumb is to limit yourself to about 500 calories at a time. Any excess is converted to bodyfat. Never get stuffed.

2) Eat often. Going long periods of time without eating causes your body to cannibalize muscle tissue to feed itself. When your body thinks you're starving, you will secrete large amounts of lipoprotein lipase, which is an enzyme that collects and stores bodyfat. Never go hungry.

3) Always try to combine protein with carbs every time you eat. Protein and fat slow down the absorption of glucose into the bloodstream, thus reducing the amount of insulin needed to control blood sugar levels. Fiber also slows down sugar entry. Eat a high fiber diet with most of your carbohydrates coming from vegetables, fruits, and whole grains.

4) Use organic essential fatty acid supplements. Essential fats cannot be manufactured by the body, and are necessary for a multitude of physiological functions. Fats help to regulate blood sugar levels, and adequate amount of essential fats are necessary for the utilization of bodyfat. A tablespoon of an omega 3/omega 6 blend (1:1 ratio) twice a day should do the trick. One of the major problems with the popular Atkins diet is that it suggests poor choices for fats. Foods with high saturated fat content, such as bacon and whole dairy products, promote elevated cholesterol levels and heart disease. Stick with unsaturated fats whenever possible.

5) Avoid high glycemic carbohydrates. Glycemic index is a measure of how fast a particular food is broken down and released into the bloodstream. Higher glycemic foods enter faster, and therefore promote higher insulin levels. Stick to lower glycemic foods whenever possible, and remember that combining protein and fat with carbs will really help to stabilize insulin production. Try not to eat just carbs, with the exception of a high-fiber piece of fruit, or another low glycemic alternative.

6) Watch your total carbohydrate intake. Depending on your activity levels, the USDA recommendations for carbohydrate intake may be too high. Remember that carbs eaten late at night have little chance of being used as fuel. Guess what happens to them? Don't go too crazy with your anti-carb quest, though, because if you don't eat enough carbohydrates, your body will start to break down muscle tissue to manufacture enough glucose to function.

7) Take a mulit-vitamin/mineral supplement every day. This will ensure that you've got all the minerals needed for all the important physiological functions in your body, and will prevent your body from turning on the appetite center due to nutritional deficiency. Consider using additional chromium picolinate (200mcg per day). Chromium is vital to an efficient insulin drive.

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Common Foods that Help Prevent Disease

By Nashville personal trainer Dan DeFigio

"Let food be your medicine."
-Hippocrates

"The key to disease prevention is host resistance."
-Louis Pasteur

Many people run to the drugstore for painkillers, antihistamines, laxatives, and antacids, but often you need to look no farther than the shelves of your grocery store for foods that can fight off disease.

Oatmeal contains beta glucan, a fiber that interferes with the absorption of cholesterol. Oatmeal (slow cooked, not the one minute kind) is also an excellent source of low glycemic carbohydrates. Wheat fiber (insoluble) can prevent colon cancer by adding bulk to the stool, thus increasing intestinal transit speed. Wheat bran also lowers estrogen levels, thus reducing a woman's risk of breast cancer.

Cranberries and blueberries block an infection-causing bacteria from sticking to the cells of he urinary tract, thus preventing common urinary tract infections.

Capsiacin, the chemical that gives hot peppers their heat, can short circuit cancer development by preventing nitrosamines (preservatives frequently added to packaged meats) from attaching to and damaging DNA. Capsiacin may also clear the blood of clots for a short period of time.

A cup of tea may be one of your best defenses against heart disease, cancer, and stroke. The polyphenols in tea act as powerful antioxidants, which may explain why Japanese women who drink at least 5 cups of tea per day are half as likely to suffer a stroke compared to women who drank less. Chemicals in tea called catechins block malignant changes in oral, stomach, lung, pancreas, and colon cells. Antioxidant flavonoidsin tea keep arteries clear by preventing damaging LDL cholesterol from oxidizing and clogging blood vessels.

In a Loma Linda University study, vegetarians who ate nuts 5 times a week cut their risk of heart attack by fifty percent. Nuts are high in unsaturated fats which can lower cholesterol, and are high in magnesium and copper. These two minerals affect blood vessels, making them less prone to plaque attack. Almonds are high in the amino acid arginine, which is the precursor of nitric oxide. Nitric oxide relaxes the blood vessels and inhibits the buildup of cells on blood vessel walls - an important defense against heart disease.

Good news for chocolate lovers! The type of fat in chocolate (stearic) may actually curb high cholesterol. One and a half ounces of chocolate have the same amount of polyphenols as a 5 ounce glass of red wine. The darker the chocolate, the more antioxidant phenolics it contains.

Moderate intakes of alcohol (1 or 2 drinks) can shave your risk of heart disease by 30 or 50 percent, regardless of diet or smoking habits. Alcohol raises HDL levels that cleanse blood vessels of cholesterol. Red wine retards blood clot formation, probably because of a chemical in grape skins called resveratrol. Phenolics in red wine and dark beers may prevent LDL cholesterol from sticking to arterial walls. If you choose not to drink alcohol, the same protective chemicals are found in red grapes and grape juice.

Soybeans contain isoflavones, which are actually weak estrogens. These compounds can ease menopausal symptoms, reduce the risk of uterine, colon, and breast cancers, and help prevent bone loss. Eating soy protein reliably lowers elevated LDL cholesterol levels. For more detailed information about soybeans, read Soybeans and Health in the Nutrition section.

Populations eating large amounts of garlic have lower rates of stomach cancer, boosted immunity, and lower blood pressure. Garlic's sulfur compounds block the conversion of chemicals into carcinogens. A clove a day can lower cholesterol by nine percent. Deodorized capsules are available from most health food stores.

Ginger acts as an anticoagulant by blocking thromboxane, a chemical that induces platelet aggregation. Ginger works as an anti-nausea agent, and can also help people who suffer from arthritis, because it acts as an anti-inflammatory agent.

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Breakfast - What to Eat, and Why

By Nashville personal trainer Dan DeFigio

There's an old saying that goes “Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a pauper,” but most of us do the opposite. This is exactly the wrong way to eat if we're trying to lose weight. It also works against us if we're trying to keep our energy up during the day and our mental performance level high. Remember, you've just gone eight hours without food, your body is craving nourishment, and your brain needs glucose to function at its best. Skipping breakfast is one of the worst possible things you can do. You set yourself up for disaster in a number of different ways later in the day.

Research shows that between 35% and 40% of all Americans skip breakfast, and many kids leave for school without it. The implications are dramatic, both physically and mentally (more on that in a moment). "People who skip breakfast are more than four times as likely to be obese than people who eat something in the morning," says Jonny Bowden, Clinical Nutrition Specialist. Wow. Skipping meals makes you fatter!

Then there's brain performance. "Numerous studies over the years have shown that skipping breakfast impacts the behavior and mental performance of school kids," Bowden said. "Kids who eat breakfast have better memory, and higher math and reading scores. And kids who are hungry have a large number of behavior problems, including fighting, stealing, having difficulty with teachers and not acknowledging rules."

Additionally, people who eat breakfast are far more likely to get a healthy intake of vitamins and minerals than those who don't. In one study published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition, researchers found that people who ate a hearty breakfast containing more than one-quarter of their daily calories had a higher intake of essential vitamins and minerals, and lower serum cholesterol levels to boot.

So what constitutes a good breakfast?

Is it the high-carb, low-fat "Breakfast of Champions" that was so in vogue several decades ago? Or is it a plate piled high with meat and bacon minus the bread and potatoes a la Atkins diet?

Breakfast that includes protein translates into a more sustained level of energy throughout the morning. Protein fills you up longer, and you're less likely to have midmorning cravings. You're also less likely to overeat at lunch, or to be so hungry that you'll grab whatever takeout garbage you can get your hands on. And higher protein at breakfast increases metabolism, helping you to maintain a healthy weight. "In one study, a high-protein breakfast increased the metabolism of healthy young women by a shocking 100%," Bowden said.

There are definite advantages to adding protein to the traditional all-carb American breakfast, but that doesn't mean you should have 1000 calories of bacon! One-third of your breakfast should come from a lean protein source, and the rest from healthy fats and fibrous carbs. Don’t eat the same thing every day.
Don’t be afraid to think outside the American “breakfast food box.” In Asia, the traditional Japanese breakfast consists of a small piece of fish (like salmon), some light vegetables and a tiny portion of rice, accompanied by a small bowl of miso soup. The health benefits of fish and vegetables in the morning are huge, and the omega-3s in salmon are terrific for your skin, plus they help regulate mood and are essential for proper hormone formation. If fish in the morning is too much of a stretch:

Eggs are loaded with protein and other nutrients such as phosphatidyl choline for the brain and heart. Scramble some eggs with spinach and sliced apples in some coconut oil, and season with turmeric and lemon pepper. It's loaded with protein and nutrients for the eyes, like lutein and zeaxanthin, plus the turmeric is one of nature's great anti-inflammatories.  Note: we officially recommend free-range, antibiotic-free eggs. They have higher nutrient content than conventional eggs, it’s better for the chickens, and it doesn’t perpetuate antibiotic resistance like conventional chicken feed does.

Yogurt that contains active cultures. Try a cup of greek yogurt with nuts, grapes, or berries.

Peanut butter sandwich. Buy whole-grain bread and spread some natural peanut or almond butter on a slice, fold it in half, and you have an easy, no-cook breakfast. Goes great with a glass of skim milk or some hot green tea.

Whey protein shake. If you cannot conceive of eating a protein source for breakfast that isn’t bacon or sausage, try some powdered whey protein as your protein source. It’s easy, inexpensive, and versatile. You can mix whey powder in water, milk, or juice; or you can sprinkle some on your cereal. You can make a smoothie by adding frozen berries or half of a banana.  Or try powdered whey in cranberry or pomegranate juice. Or almond or rice milk. Adding a splash of flax oil to the shake will add essential fats and help the smoothie 'stick' with you a little longer. Experiment and see what you like. Univera's Ageless Xtra with some whey protein is one of my personal favorites.

Just remember, every time you eat, try to get a combination of protein and carbohydrates. Eat often (every 3-4 hours), and don’t eat too much at one time!

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What Supplements Should I Take?

Most average folks can benefit from the following nutrition supplements for basic nutrition support:

1. Basic multi-vitamin/mineral supplement. Deficiencies in vitamins or minerals can compromise immune system function, increase hunger and cravings, and crash your energy levels. All vitamin supplements are NOT the same -- it is important that you buy quality products from established companies that consistently test well in the lab for purity and labeling accuracy. It is also important that you get a vitamin/mineral supplement that contains high-quality forms of minerals. In general, oxides and sulfates are not very good forms of minerals, so the stuff you buy off the shelf at Walgreens or WalMart is usually made from low-quality ingredients. Feel free to email us for recommendations for high-quality vitamin/mineral supplements.

2. Essential fats. Have you heard of Omega-3 fats? They are essential fatty acids that cannot be manufactured in the body -- they must come from the diet. The bad news is that the typical American diet is very deficient in Omega-3s. Dietary sources of Omega-3s are primarily certain fish, flaxseed, and certain nuts. Omega-3 fatty acids have been most widely studied regarding their effects on cardiovascular health. Increased consumption of fish oil capsules may help slow the progression of atherosclerosis, thereby preventing heart attacks and cardiac arrhythmias. The omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA have a number of heart-healthy effects, including reducing triglyceride levels, raising levels of HDL ("good") cholesterol, reducing levels of homocysteine, and reducing blood pressure. Omega-3s are also powerful anti-inflammatory agents, and have been tried in the treatment of symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis with considerable success (especially in early stages of the disease). Since DHA is important for normal development and function of the brain, current evidence suggests that omega-3 fats can improve symptoms of depression, and delay the progression of nervous system disorders like Alzheimers and Parkinsons. DHA is also often added to formula for premature infants and some regular infant formulas and foods. If you use fish oil supplements, be sure to use distilled capsules from reputable companies. Contact us for a high-quality essential fat supplement available at a 20% discount.

3. Phytonutrients. These are plant-based compounds that improve immune system response, aid digestion, and help to maintain proper acid/alkaline balance. There are literally thousands of these phytochemicals, and they cannot be manufactured -- you have to eat your veggies! We often recommend that folks use a powdered green drink to increase the amount of phytonutrients in their diets. A good green drink should include lots of different plants, such as Barley Grass, Wheat Grass, Aloe, Nettle Leaf, Shavegrass (Horsetail), Alfalfa Leaf Juice, Dandelion Leaf Juice, Oat Grass, Broccoli, Kale, Spinach, Parsley, Ginger Root, and Nopal Cactus. Two fantastic products are Univera's Metagreens and Dr. Ben Kim's Super Green Food.

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No information published on this web site is intended to treat or prevent any disease or medical condition. You should always consult a qualified health care professional before undertaking any exercise or nutrition regimen.

Antioxidants and Phytonutrients

By Dan DeFigio, www.gettingfit.com

The chemical process of oxidation is one of the most common means of decay on this planet. It is what makes meat go bad, nails rust, and apples turn brown. Inside your body, oxidation takes its toll in the form of things like suppressed immune systems, cataracts, and even heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. We are exposed to a much higher concentration of free radicals (the chemical renegades that cause oxidation) than we were 20 years ago due to ozone depletion, pesticides, pollution, and food processing. Exercise also produces a hefty amount of free radical damage in the body. Taking daily anti-oxidant supplements can minimize oxidative damage in your body. Some of the major antioxidant nutrients with suggested dosages are listed below:

Phytonutrients: These are plant-based compounds that improve immune system response, aid digestion, and help to maintain proper acid/alkaline balance. There are literally thousands of these phytochemicals, and they cannot be manufactured -- you have to eat your veggies! We often recommend that folks use a powdered green drink to increase the amount of phytonutrients in their diets. A good green drink should include lots of different plants, such as Barley Grass, Wheat Grass, Aloe, Nettle Leaf, Shavegrass (Horsetail), Alfalfa Leaf Juice, Dandelion Leaf Juice, Oat Grass, Broccoli, Kale, Spinach, Parsley, Ginger Root, and Nopal Cactus. Two fantastic products are Univera's Metagreens and Dr. Ben Kim's Super Green Food.

Vitamin C: 1000-2000mg in divided doses throughout the day - big doses can upset your stomach if you're not used to them. Your vitamin C supplement should have rose hips or acerola cherry, because "regular" ascorbic acid tablets have just the outer ring of the vitamin C molecule. Rose hips or acerola cherries will add the other vitamin C compounds like tyrosinase, rutin, factors P and J, etc.

Vitamin E: 200-800 IU per day. Look for mixed tocopherols.

Zinc: 30 extra mg per day. Zinc oxide and zinc sulfate are cheap forms - look for zinc picolinate, zinc aspartate, or zinc ascorbate.

Selenium: 200-400 mcg daily. Use the L-selenomethionine form. Daily doses higher than 800 mcg can build up to toxic levels, so be sure to include the amounts in your multi-vitamins when determining your daily dose.

Coenzyme Q10: 60-200 mg per day. Older patients may want to take more, as the body's ability to make CoQ10 declines with age. Use of statin drugs (popular cholesterol medications) shut off the body's natural production of CoQ10, so it is especially important to supplement with CoQ10 if you use these medications.

Glutamine: L-glutamine is the most abundant amino acid in muscle tissue, and your immune system uses gobs of it when your body is under stress. Supplement with one or two grams of ornithine alpha-ketoglutarate (OKG) or L-glutamine powder two or three times a day.

N-acetyl cysteine and L-methionine: These are two amino acids that help to protect the organs and detoxify harmful substances. They can be especially important because they protect the body's stores of glutathione, which is one of your body's major endogenous antioxidants. These two amino acids are often packaged together, so use n-acetyl cysteine as your dosage guide: 50 to 350 mg daily.

Instead of having to mix and match 8 or 10 pills every day, many companies offer an all-in-one antioxidant product containing all of the necessary nutrients in a single pill. Our Body Armor pack contains the finest products for maximum protection.

I would like to emphasize the importance of buying your supplements from established, reputable companies. Nutrition supplements are not regulated by the FDA, so any fly-by-night company can put anything it wants in a bottle. We only recommend and sell products with proven track records of consistent product quality and labeling integrity. If you have questions about the reliability of a particular brand, the Colgan Institute and ConsumerLab.com are superb sources of information. They have been testing nutrition supplements off the shelves throughout America for years. They do not accept money from any manufacturers, and receive no grants of any kind for their work. Their evaluations are not for sale.

Pills are not the end-all in nutrition! There are thousands of chemicals and combinations of different nutrients that are found in vegetables and fruits that we are just beginning to understand. Eat a variety of organic vegetables and fruits every day, preferably locally grown. The phytochemicals in plants form the foundation for protection against disease. A diet based on vegetables, fruits, and lean proteins is more important than supplemental vitamins and minerals. By combining the two, you are well on your way to maintaining a healthy immune system and minimizing potentially deadly oxidative damage.

 

 

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Weight Training Split Routines

A "split routine" means working different muscles on different days. If you need a change in your training split, here are a few ideas:

Day 1: Chest and Arms
Day 2: Legs and Waist
Day 3: Back and Shoulders

Day 1: Chest and Back
Day 2: Legs and Waist
Day 3: Shoulders and Arms

Day 1: Chest and Biceps
Day 2: Legs and Waist
Day 3: Back and Triceps
Day 4: Shoulders, Calves, Abs

Day 1: Back and Triceps
Day 2: Legs and Abs
Day 3: Chest and Biceps
Day 4: Deadlifts and Calves

Day 1: Pushing movements
Day 2: Pulling movements

Day 1: Chest, Shoulders, Triceps
Day 2: Squat, Deadlift, Abs
Day 3: Back and Biceps

Day 1: Plyometrics and Chest
Day 2: Legs and Waist
Day 3: Back and Shoulders
Day 4: Plyometrics and Arms

Day 1: Chest and Abs
Day 2: Deadlifts and Back
Day 3: Shoulders and Arms
Day 4: Legs

Remember to give yourself enough recovery time in between workouts! Due to systemic and nervous system fatigue, it's usually not a good idea to have more than 2 intense weight training days in a row.

Some other ideas if you're feeling stale:

• Supersets (two exercises back-to-back for opposing muscle groups)
• Compound sets (back-to-back exercises for the same muscle group)
• Tri-sets (three exercises is a row with no rest in between sets)
• 5 second positive, 5 second negative
• Heavy primary mover/light secondary mover (i.e. rows/bicep curls, chest presses/tricep extensions, deadlifts/hamstring curls)
• Pre-exhaustion (knee extensions before squats, pec deck before bench press)
• 2 minutes cardio between sets
• One set of pushups after every upper body exercise, one set of unweighted squats or lunges after every lower body exercise
• 21's (7 reps at top half of range of motion, 7 reps at bottom half, 7 reps full range)
• 40 reps, rest as needed (i.e. 15 reps, rest a few seconds, 7 more, rest, 5 reps, etc. until you get a total of 40)
• 5 second pause halfway through each rep
• One super-slow rep per set
• 45 second work bout, 1 minute rest (those minutes go by real quick after a few sets!)
• Super light weights -- 50, 60, 100 reps -- whatever you can get!
• Plyometric exercises before training a particular bodypart with weights
• Heavy overhead lifts with odd-shaped and/or unbalanced objects: half-empty beer kegs, rocks, lumber, small furniture, etc. Deadlifts also work well with these kind of objects. If you enjoy this kind of strongman training, you may want to check out MILO, a publication dealing with this type of strength training.

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