For those of you who drink nothing but good quality water, either purified and/or with minerals intact (which is increasingly hard to find), good on you!
There's really no reason to drink anything besides water. I'm not going to preach abstinence from alcohol, because lord knows I've tossed many libations back myself, but in general, there is no reason there should be any supermarkets with gigantic beverage aisles.
Let's begin with fruit juice. Even kids shouldn't drink fruit juice. If they crave orange juice, give your kids an orange. This represents the concept of "whole foods" and nutrient density.
Yes, orange juice and other juices that have 100% fruit juice are usually loaded with Vitamin C, an important antioxidant and immune booster.
But drinking orange juice, just an 8-ounce, serving, contains about 25 grams of sugar. Because it's not a whole food, the sugar will cause more of a sugar spike and insulin response than a whole orange.
You can apply this logic to any fruit. Craving apple juice? Don't drink it. Eat an apple instead. Grape juice, don't even think about buying it, eat a handful of grapes....
(If you cave in to giving your kids juice, at least give them a snack with protein and natural fat included so they don't experience a sugar crash.)
By comparison, a whole orange, on average, has under 10 grams of sugar, plus you get the benefit of fiber from the pulp. Yes, there are some orange juices with pulp, but it's not as plentiful as a whole orange.
No doubt there are hundreds of thousands of people who buy fruit smoothies from chains like Jamba Juice thinking that they are drinking a healthy alternative to soda. But in reality, they are overdosing on sugar.
So if you know somebody that indulges in fruit smoothies, please pass the word on. Even if they are adding protein powder to their smoothie, which is advised to lessen the glycemic load (sugar rush), fruit smoothies contain way too much sugar for everybody.
Marketing still tricks the American consumer into thinking that "Vitamin Water" is healthy. Glaceau's popular Vitamin Water contains over 30 grams of sugar in a 20-ounce bottle. Most people don't have the discipline to drink the serving size of 8 ounces, and instead will chug the whole bottle.
Some may ask, "But what if I exercise hard?" Can't a drink like Vitamin Water be good for me?
If somebody takes just a few sips of Gatorade or similar sports drink during the course of a hard workout, then the short burst supply of energy is fine. Again, the problem is that most people end up consuming way more sugar than necessary.
What's the worst cocktail you can drink? One of the worst for sure is a pina colada. Just one of these popular summer concoctions have over 75 grams of sugar and several hundred calories. I learned this the hard way while once vacationing in Cabo San Lucas. To get relief from the 100-degree heat, I gulped down about a dozen pina coladas and ended up with a nasty sinus infection a week later.
Lesson learned: if you're an alcohol drinker, it's better to stick with drinks like vodka and tequilla, straight up with perhaps a tiny splash of juice. These drinks won't bloat your gut like beer and won't overwhelm your immune system with sugar like pina coladas.
Really, if you are eating healthy, water is the only drink you need to consume. Unsweetened almond milk or natural coconut water is fine, but really, all you need is water. Both the earth and our bodies are comprised of two-thirds water. Coincidence? I think not, but this fact does highlight how important staying hydrated is.
Remember to drink one or two cups of water first thing in the morning and wait about a half hour or so to get a natural purification for the body going.
How long has it been since you've drank some water? This article making you thirsty? If you're feeling thirsty, you're dehydrated. Don't wait until that feeling. Stay hydrated all day!
Friday, September 24, 2010
Friday, September 10, 2010
How to Eliminate Back Pain and Stiffness
Several back pain sufferers--of which there are millions--take a "woe is me" attitude when it comes to their physical discomfort. They merely think that it's just fate that makes them feel 150 years-old when they get out of bed in the morning, that somehow, their destiny or God's hand, has dealt them a bum card in life.
Those who do want to do something to alleviate the pain, unfortunately, are duped into thinking by the medical community that surgery is the only option.
Even if surgery eventually lessens the pain, albeit at a cost of thousands of dollars and the risk of complications, the back pain sufferer who elects to go under the knife will perhaps only enjoy short-lived positive results.
If you want to avoid lower back pain, the simple answer is that it's going to take daily effort to reverse the pain and then stay pain-free.
It doesn't take an expert in physiology or kinesiology to "diagnose" the causes of lower back pain. Most injuries or chronic muscle pains or spasms occur from muscular imbalances. So without having to take out a hundred thousand dollars in student loans and getting a fancy degree, what is the most common cause of back pain?
If you said an imbalance and weakness in the deep abdominal muscles, you've just saved yourself 100 grand.
It's fairly easy to mitigate and possibly even totally reverse debilitating back pain. Are you ready to work at it every day?
One of my personal heroes, a guru, you could even call him, is almost 90-year old surf icon Dorian Paskowitz, who wrote a book called "Surfing for Health" (available for purchase online at AlohaDoc.com), in which his most memorable words for me are: "To truly achieve a superior state of well being takes a daily commitment."
Amen, Doc! Despite some bum knees and a replaced hip, Doc still surfs (see below).
So how to apply Doc's wisdom to back pain?
Every day, do something to strengthen your abdominal core. Don't do dozens of situps as that is a waste of time and recruits too much of the hip flexor muscles. Incorporate a daily stretching and strengthening routine. As few as 5 minutes upon rising or going to bed is all it takes.
If you're ready to take the plunge and get rid of back pain, email me and I'll gladly be of service--but only if you're committed to a daily practice (at least 5 days a week).
Those who do want to do something to alleviate the pain, unfortunately, are duped into thinking by the medical community that surgery is the only option.
Even if surgery eventually lessens the pain, albeit at a cost of thousands of dollars and the risk of complications, the back pain sufferer who elects to go under the knife will perhaps only enjoy short-lived positive results.
If you want to avoid lower back pain, the simple answer is that it's going to take daily effort to reverse the pain and then stay pain-free.
It doesn't take an expert in physiology or kinesiology to "diagnose" the causes of lower back pain. Most injuries or chronic muscle pains or spasms occur from muscular imbalances. So without having to take out a hundred thousand dollars in student loans and getting a fancy degree, what is the most common cause of back pain?
If you said an imbalance and weakness in the deep abdominal muscles, you've just saved yourself 100 grand.
It's fairly easy to mitigate and possibly even totally reverse debilitating back pain. Are you ready to work at it every day?
One of my personal heroes, a guru, you could even call him, is almost 90-year old surf icon Dorian Paskowitz, who wrote a book called "Surfing for Health" (available for purchase online at AlohaDoc.com), in which his most memorable words for me are: "To truly achieve a superior state of well being takes a daily commitment."
Amen, Doc! Despite some bum knees and a replaced hip, Doc still surfs (see below).
So how to apply Doc's wisdom to back pain?
Every day, do something to strengthen your abdominal core. Don't do dozens of situps as that is a waste of time and recruits too much of the hip flexor muscles. Incorporate a daily stretching and strengthening routine. As few as 5 minutes upon rising or going to bed is all it takes.
If you're ready to take the plunge and get rid of back pain, email me and I'll gladly be of service--but only if you're committed to a daily practice (at least 5 days a week).
Friday, September 3, 2010
Couscous, Brown Rice and Other Grains: How Healthy Are They?
One question I get asked frequently is, "How much healthier is brown rice for you versus white rice?"
Another one: "Is whole wheat pasta more better for you than regular semolina pasta?"
And what about couscous, quinoa, amaranth, spelt, kamut and other grains? How good are they for you?
Before answering these questions, it might be helpful to define what a grain is. Traditionally, a grain is a small, dry, one-seeded fruit of a cereal grass, having the fruit and the seed walls united.
The problem with many contemporary grains is the processing it goes through to get to your plate. Typically, grains that most Americans eat have been stripped of their nutritional value from processing.
That problem aside, how good are unprocessed grains, even grains that are sprouted, raw, and loaded with beneficial digestive enzymes that haven't been destroyed because of processing?
The short answer is: It depends on you.
Everyone is unique biochemically. What this means is that one person might thrive on eating a nice hefty portion of couscous for dinner while another person feasting on the Middle Eastern grain might go into a carb coma.
So how do you know if a particular grain is right for you? Pay attention to how you feel after you eat it. Sounds simple enough but many people are too busy with other stressors in life to be concerned with being in touch with their bodies. But when you eat the wrong foods, this creates even more stress for the body to deal with.
When you eat a grain (or any other type of food that's not good for your unique self), an antigen response is created. Antigens are molecules that are usually recognized by our immune systems. Certain autoimmune and inflammation-causing digestive disorders like Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) or Chron's Disease is caused in part by the immune system negatively reacting to its own antigen molecules.
Your gut contains the majority of your immune system. Eating the wrong foods for years upon years will create inflammation and an eating away of the mucosal barrier in your gut, which is the body's first line of defense against pathogens (nasty invading critters).
So even if you think you're eating a relatively healthy grain like brown rice pasta, if your Metabolic Type doesn't call for grains in general, you may be causing your body to go through an inflammatory response.
As a Certified Metabolic Typing Advisor, I can give you a good general idea of what foods are best for you and which ones to avoid. But even without doing a test, if you pay better attention to how you feel after a meal, you'll start eliminating foods that cause inflammatory responses in your body.
Do you feel tired or bloated after eating rice? I know I do. That's why I rarely eat sushi anymore. Even with the lean protein of sushi, combining it with white (or brown) rice makes me feel bloated. I feel terrible after and so does my wallet. Fifty bucks down the drain and two hours later I feel hungry again because I burned up the rice too quickly.
Even supposedly healthy grains like couscous or quinoa aren't the best sources of fuel for my system.
If you really want some useful, personalized nutrition education where you can find out what foods you should eat and which ones to avoid, do the online advanced Metabolic Typing test. Usually, I charge $250 for my analysis and coaching. If you're one of the first five (5) people to do the test, I will waive my fee. You just cover the cost of the test, which is $40 and I'll go over the results with you free of charge. Forty bucks to discover what the best source of fuel is for your body: I'd say that's priceless.
Email me to be one of the lucky five.
And if you are feeling bloated and want to lose those stubborn last 5-20 pounds, there are a couple products I whole-heartedly endorse by TeamBeachBody. Their slimming formula contains all-natural ingredients like green tea extract and pyruvate and if you're at a training plateau, definitely give the physique-transforming P90X a shot and I'll help you get through it.
Good luck!
Another one: "Is whole wheat pasta more better for you than regular semolina pasta?"
And what about couscous, quinoa, amaranth, spelt, kamut and other grains? How good are they for you?
Before answering these questions, it might be helpful to define what a grain is. Traditionally, a grain is a small, dry, one-seeded fruit of a cereal grass, having the fruit and the seed walls united.
The problem with many contemporary grains is the processing it goes through to get to your plate. Typically, grains that most Americans eat have been stripped of their nutritional value from processing.
That problem aside, how good are unprocessed grains, even grains that are sprouted, raw, and loaded with beneficial digestive enzymes that haven't been destroyed because of processing?
The short answer is: It depends on you.
Everyone is unique biochemically. What this means is that one person might thrive on eating a nice hefty portion of couscous for dinner while another person feasting on the Middle Eastern grain might go into a carb coma.
So how do you know if a particular grain is right for you? Pay attention to how you feel after you eat it. Sounds simple enough but many people are too busy with other stressors in life to be concerned with being in touch with their bodies. But when you eat the wrong foods, this creates even more stress for the body to deal with.
When you eat a grain (or any other type of food that's not good for your unique self), an antigen response is created. Antigens are molecules that are usually recognized by our immune systems. Certain autoimmune and inflammation-causing digestive disorders like Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) or Chron's Disease is caused in part by the immune system negatively reacting to its own antigen molecules.
Your gut contains the majority of your immune system. Eating the wrong foods for years upon years will create inflammation and an eating away of the mucosal barrier in your gut, which is the body's first line of defense against pathogens (nasty invading critters).
So even if you think you're eating a relatively healthy grain like brown rice pasta, if your Metabolic Type doesn't call for grains in general, you may be causing your body to go through an inflammatory response.
As a Certified Metabolic Typing Advisor, I can give you a good general idea of what foods are best for you and which ones to avoid. But even without doing a test, if you pay better attention to how you feel after a meal, you'll start eliminating foods that cause inflammatory responses in your body.
Do you feel tired or bloated after eating rice? I know I do. That's why I rarely eat sushi anymore. Even with the lean protein of sushi, combining it with white (or brown) rice makes me feel bloated. I feel terrible after and so does my wallet. Fifty bucks down the drain and two hours later I feel hungry again because I burned up the rice too quickly.
Even supposedly healthy grains like couscous or quinoa aren't the best sources of fuel for my system.
If you really want some useful, personalized nutrition education where you can find out what foods you should eat and which ones to avoid, do the online advanced Metabolic Typing test. Usually, I charge $250 for my analysis and coaching. If you're one of the first five (5) people to do the test, I will waive my fee. You just cover the cost of the test, which is $40 and I'll go over the results with you free of charge. Forty bucks to discover what the best source of fuel is for your body: I'd say that's priceless.
Email me to be one of the lucky five.
And if you are feeling bloated and want to lose those stubborn last 5-20 pounds, there are a couple products I whole-heartedly endorse by TeamBeachBody. Their slimming formula contains all-natural ingredients like green tea extract and pyruvate and if you're at a training plateau, definitely give the physique-transforming P90X a shot and I'll help you get through it.
Good luck!
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