Occasional Unplugging is Crucial for your Sanity

It's been a few weeks since I've posted and man, do I feel awesome.

I've just returned from a nearly-month long sabbatical to Southwest Colorado, where I camped, often for free in National Forest land with raging whitewater rapids roaring right by my tent.

I took a horseback ride up harrowing switchbacks past 10,000 feet in Ouray (the "Switzerland of America"), where I also hiked the Horsethief Trail up to the "Bridge to Heaven", where the summit was over 12,300--by far the highest I've ever been. (The last 45 minutes were exhausting! Lesson learned: eat more when hiking; you burn so many calories at high altitude and steep terrain, you have to frequently refuel.)

I whitewater rafted (with an outfitter) down some fun class III rapids. I was in wide open green spaces surrounded by 13 and 14,000-foot peaks with no houses and hardly anyone in sight. I connected with nature in a way that I haven't in quite some time.

Totally cleansed of any stress I was holding on to, my challenge now, will be to hold on to that spiritually-renewed feeling. Not that my life is too stressful; I've chosen to lead a stress-free life and have created just that, but any stress I was having completely melted away. Even if I had lots of stress in my life, this trip to Colorado would have profoundly changed me.

I'd be lying if I said I never checked my email while I was away for a few weeks. I did in fact check occasionally, but I unplugged from my complete dependency on electronics. The cell phone was switched off most of the time, and I barely used my laptop. Emails were checked in funky Internet cafes.

Connecting with nature, disconnecting from the grid, camping....I recommend this for everybody to do at least once a year for two weeks.

Easier said than done if you have young kids, but I saw plenty of nouveau-hippies (new agers who don't indulge in drugs or smoke cigarettes like the old-school hippies) with toddlers camped out.

Wellness newsletters have become too saturated with marketing, scaring us much of the time with the new health scourge of the week. Some people may be accustomed to getting in the inbox a health email with a subject line such as: "Why Taking This Supplement Will Kill You".

Maybe some readers of this post couldn't care less about my camping trip to Colorado; maybe they'd rather read about eating organic and if it's really better for you.

But taking a break from your normal day to day routine like I did can profoundly change your state of wellness for the better--mentally, spiritually and even physically.

I was so relaxed throughout the trip that even though I always emphasize yoga and stretching in my wellness routine, I didn't even stretch once or do a lick of yoga. I didn't need to; my muscles weren't holding on to any stress.

Besides hiking, I gave my muscles a rest. I thought I'd lose muscle tone and gain fat if I didn't do any upper-body strengthening exercises, but I discovered that if I stick with my metabolic type nutrition lifeplan, then I don't have a thing to worry about.

If I fell off the wagon and had hot dogs (with bun) cooked over the campfire and roasted marshmallows for dessert, I didn't worry that I wasn't "eating healthy". I just made sure that the rest of the time I was eating high protein and high fiber foods and drinking lots of water.

I had a realization that if you invest some time (everybody is different, but I'd say at least two years) into strength training and eat properly for your metabolic type, you can go for extended periods of time without exercising and not put on any weight. In fact, you will preserve your muscle tone and may even get leaner.

I'm already looking forward to my next trip in the woods. If it's been a while for you, make a plan to get there soon.

Why Low Fat Diets Can Lead to an Early Death

Hopefully by now, most people are aware that you need to include natural fats in your diet in order to achieve optimum cellular function and organ health.

Unfortunately, there are still lots of people who are duped into thinking that eating fat will make you fat and unhealthy. Supermarkets inundate consumers with non-fat and low-fat fare. Marketers and mass media perpetuate myths about saturated fat, cholesterol and fat in general as unhealthy food choices. 

But here's why you shouldn't be on a low-fat diet.

From a scientific perspective, low-fat diets increase triglycerides, which are fats in the bloodstream. Higher levels of triglycerides in the bloodstream may increase the risk for heart disease. 

We've been told by the media and even leading health organizations and professionals that eating fat will raise triglyceride levels. But now, science is on the side of natural-whole-food-whole-fat diets.

There have been over 10 studies recently that have proved that a low-fat diet causes the level of triglycerides to increase. Studies have yet to find that increased dietary fat increases triglycerides.

These studies will hopefully prove that fat isn't the enemy it was once -- and still largely is.

Chances are high that someone who is on a low-fat diet will be on a high-carbohydrate diet.

This kind of diet can wreak havoc on blood glucose levels. High carbohydrate diets cause wild fluctuations in blood glucose.

High levels of blood glucose causes circulatory problems and damage to the inside wall of blood vessels. A high level of blood glucose triggers the release of the hormone insulin, which is required to lower blood glucose concentrations.

Insulin enables the body’s cells to use some of the glucose, but if there is too much glucose the excess is converted into fat (triglycerides). This explains why low-fat /high-carbohydrate diets increase blood triglyceride levels.

Low-Fat Diets can also lower ‘good’ cholesterol. High Density Lipoproteins (HDLs) are commonly known as ‘good’ cholesterol. In fact, HDLs are not really cholesterol. Yes, they contain some cholesterol, but they are more accurately described as a bundle of proteins, fats, cholesterol and vitamins.

The fact that HDLs carry other molecules and not just cholesterol, brings into question the whole idea of ‘good’ and ‘bad’ cholesterol. Lipoproteins carry a wide range of substances to and from the cells of the
body; it is far too simplistic to designate HDLs and LDLs (Low Density Lipoproteins) as good or bad respectively, but that's for a whole other topic.

However, assuming that HDLs are ‘good’ cholesterol and a low level of HDLs increases the risk for heart disease, as is purported currently; it is of interest that a low-fat/high carbohydrate diet drastically reduces the level of HDLs.

High carb diets coupled with low-fat diets also reduce the LDL (commonly known as "bad" cholesterol) particle size.

It is now widely recognized that smaller LDL particles are associated with a greater risk for heart disease.

Interestingly, a diet that is higher in saturated fat actually increases the size of LDL particles and, thus, is a lesser risk for heart disease. However, the fact is that there has never been any convincing evidence to show that saturated fat in the diet increases cholesterol levels. There is also a distinct lack of evidence to support the idea that cholesterol itself causes heart disease.

Stay tuned for more articles in the future about saturated fat and cholesterol myths.

For more information on the truth behind cholesterol, check out a great book by Justin Smith called $29 billion reasons to lie about cholesterol. Check out a synopsis here: www.29billion.com.

Until then, please pass this on to friends and family you know who are on an unhealthy low-fat/high carb diet!

Trying to Lose Weight? How Many Pounds per Week is Safe?

Trying to lose weight? If you're not, you probably know somebody who is.


Even if you're not in the wellness and fitness industry, you can help someone who is trying to lose weight. 


Do you know somebody who drinks soda on a regular basis? (I'm talking about non-diet soda; of course diet soda is terrible for health but that's a whole other story).


Explain to someone who drinks soda and is struggling with their weight that a typical can of soda has 150 calories. One soda per day per week equals 1050 calories (150x7). There are 3500 calories in a pound. So if your soda-drinking comrade drinks just one soda every day, that's 4200 calories in a month. 


You can see how easy it is for somebody with poor eating habits to pack on 20, 30, 50+ pounds in just a few years.


The 700 excess calories from the daily soda consumption leads to over a pound of weight gained in one month, assuming that is the actual caloric difference, i.e. calories in versus calories out.


In other words, someone with poor eating habits who doesn't exercise is most likely to gain way more than 700 calories above breaking even for the day. 


You may be surprised to know that even the most sedentary couch potato may burn 1500-2000 calories a day just by being alive. This is called the Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) and measures how many calories somebody burns to support cell function. That's right: Even if you sit on the couch for literally 24 hours a day you will burn up to 2000 calories. 


People who are lean, athletic and have optimum thyroid levels can burn 2500-3000 calories per day without lifting a finger. 


So even if the most inactive person can burn up to 2000 calories a day, it's surprising that two-thirds of American adults are overweight.


But people are eating way more than they need to and not burning enough calories. It's as simple as that. 


So if you're overweight, don't despair. It's not simple to lose weight. But if you try the following, you may be surprised. But first, let's ask a question.


How much weight is is safe and effective to lose per week?

Actually, before answering that question, it's important to stuff your scale in the closet. Limit yourself to at most weighing yourself once a week. The number on the scale is not telling you how much bodyfat you're losing--it's only telling you the combined weight of your bones, skin, lean muscle mass and adipose tissue (fat).

The most self-defeating thing anybody who's trying to lose weight can do is weigh themselves on a daily basis. Within a week, somebody who is constantly weighing themselves will feel down on themselves if the scale doesn't show a lower number.

If it does show a lower number, perhaps the person is dieting and just losing water weight or worse, muscle mass (true, muscle mass is partially water).

And if the number on the scale is higher because the person is hopefully on a strength-training program, since muscle weighs more than fat, the person might experience some initial weight gain.

In my humble opinion, the best way for someone to lose weight is to eat a minimum of two green salads a day, like a spinach salad. The best thing to do is make it a nutrient-dense salad, placing some nuts (like sunflower seeds; or walnuts for heart-healthy Omega 3 Fatty Acids), a few extra veggies like shredded carrots, celery, tomato and just a pinch of dried fruit or fresh berries. Add a whole egg once a day in one of the salads for extra protein and amino acids.

A medium-size portion of light fish like Mahi-Mahi or chicken breast along with the lunch and dinner salad to feel full is good. It would be no good if you felt hungry an hour or two later and then gorged on some dessert. Speaking of which, dessert is allowed every day only if it's a tiny portion, like one small cube of dark chocolate--no more than that!

For breakfast, a small portion of grains is ok for energy throughout the day, preferably in the form of sprouted breads like Ezekial or Manna bread. Conventional cereal will only bloat your gut and make you feel like you just put on 5 pounds. Instead, opt for brown rice or quinoa cereals, which are available at health food stores.

Breakfast should be the only time of day you have a significant amount of grains. Say goodbye to frequent servings of pasta and rice for lunch and dinner. You can reward yourself every other week with a pasta dinner.

You'll soon start to feel slimmer from all the fiber you're digesting and the lack of bloating from excess grains. Consuming pasteurized milk products, even if it's organic, can cause bloating in some people (look for a future article on that soon). You can eat one link or strip of healthy bacon or sausage (meaning minimally processed with no nitrate/nitrites) even if you're trying to lose weight.

Do not deny yourself your favorite foods. But do limit your intake of grains!

Add some moderate exercise to this healthy way of eating and you'll soon start to lose bodyfat. Notice I didn't just say weight, but specifically bodyfat. You don't want to lose muscle.

Oh, almost forgot to answer the question: so how much weight is safe and effective (meaning, you're likely to keep it off) to lose per week?

I would say one to two pounds per week is safe. That's eight pounds per month and 96 pounds per year.

Some more wellness math you can coach your friends on....

How to Never Get Headaches

Headaches are common -- but they are not normal.

When you are feeling "normal", everything is working as it should be. Your hormone levels are balanced, blood pressure, circadian rhythm, etc...is operating at full function.

Because headaches are so prevalent, some people just pass it off as part of the human experience.

When I was young, I used to snack on doughnuts and grape soda while watching cartoons, as part of my after school ritual. I would frequently get pounding headaches.

I didn't have the knowledge I do now about glycemic index and the dangers of processed foods.

So here are some other tips about preventing headaches I'd like to share:

Nutrition and Hydration 


Speaking of doughnuts and grape soda, eating properly is probably the number one way to avoid getting headaches. This means going no more than 5 hours during the day without eating and no more than 12-13 hours after sleeping.

One of my rules to live by: 10 by 10:  eat 10 grams of high quality protein by 10 a.m. (eggs; organic/all-natural bacon or sausage; whey; hemp or rice protein for vegetarians [no soy!]; unpasteurized dairy, etc...).

Try to eat at similar times of the day if you can and always eat a balanced meal. Every major meal should include veggies (which are carbs), protein and a little natural fat (avocado, olive oil, coconut oil).

I'm not a big fan of fasting, unless it's a once in a blue moon occurrence for religious purposes. Fasting can cause severe headaches. And so can not drinking water. Make sure you start your day right away by re-hydrating yourself with at 2-3 cups of water. Drink steady, small amounts frequently or as needed throughout the day.

Remember: Drink before you feel thirsty and eat before you feel hungry!

Sleep Patterns


Getting too little or too much sleep can potentially cause headaches. Try going to sleep at roughly the same time every night, especially during the week you should really begin winding things down by 10 p.m. and shutting down the laptop and other electronics.

Hormones


Especially for females who are on their cycle, headaches, including migraines, can be closely associated to estrogen levels. Immediately before menstruation estrogen is at the lowest level, thus possibly triggering headaches.


Although there's not much a female can do about ovulation menopause, there are ways to make sure hormone levels are balanced in general. One way to do this is a simple saliva test which measures cortisol (the stress hormone) and sex hormone levels. Contact me at 858.442.6861 for more information on this simple test.

Activity Level


According to Buddhist principles, life is all about taking the middle path. Moderation is key. Exercise should be no different. People engaged in highly strenuous workouts like boot camps and other forms of extreme fitness are at risk for developing headaches.

Blood vessels swell up as a result of the head and neck muscles needing extra blood flow. Too much exertion can cause pounding headaches. Unless you're a pro athlete or training for a competition, do daily moderate intensity exercise. The low end of high-end intensity training should be the limit.

Stress


Unless you're living in a third-world country with no access to clean water and readily-available healthy food sources, you really need to take a breath and learn what's truly important in life. Have an attitude of gratitude every day for the daily abundance you were lucky enough to be born into. Over half the world's population would love to trade places with you.

If you think about your problems that are needlessly plaguing you in this light, and start a daily meditation or yoga practice, your stress levels will go way down and perhaps those pesky headaches will go away.

Remedies


There are too many remedies to name, but for immediate relief of headaches, acupressure might do the trick, especially the Large Intestine 4 pressure point. No, you're not going to rub your large intestines; this meridian point can be found in the fleshy skin between the thumb and pointer finger. Apply pressure with your thumb and pointer finger or middle finger with your other hand.

If that doesn't work, take 2 aspirins and call me in the morning!

Dangers of Practicing Yoga

Yoga and its associated health and spiritual benefits have been around for approximately 5,000 years.

In the U.S., beginning in the 1960s with the New Age and counter-culture movements, yoga has increased dramatically in popularity over the last 50 years.

It's only been in the last two decades that yoga has really gone mainstream. And it seems like it's an exercise fad that's here to stay; that is to say, it's not a fad at all, unlike some fly-by-night exercise routines like Tae-Bo, Richard Simmons videos, Jazzercise, and Jane Fonda aerobics.

As yoga has grown in popularity so too have the number of injuries from yoga.

This is far from a recommendation to avoid yoga, although some people may benefit from other forms of exercise....more on that below.

If you're overweight or new to yoga or it's been a while since you've practiced, it's advisable to exercise caution with certain poses.

Keep in mind that when asanas (postures) were divinely inspired, if you will, (if you won't: created), the population in the ancient subcontinent of India didn't have problems with obesity and sedentary lifestyles.

Certain yoga poses performed by certain segments of the contemporary population can wreak havoc on inflexible joints and ligaments.

The lotus pose, which is commonly the beginning meditative position in a yoga class, can put extreme stress on the knee, ankle and hip joints. Women are more susceptible than men are to injuries of the ACL joint in the knee and lotus may perhaps increase that risk.

A spinal twist called Marichyasana III can place heavy stress on the lower back ligaments and tendons, which can lead to back pain and spinal instability.

There are other examples of yoga poses that place excessive stress on the joints.

It's important if you fit into the category of being overweight or being a yoga neophyte to find a good teacher who knows how to make sure you stay in your safe zone. Yoga props such as blocks and straps will also help you stay safe.

It's common in yoga class to see some women with very low body fat that are hyper flexible, easily capable of twisting themselves into pretzels. Perhaps they have reached their peak in yoga and are actually too flexible and a better exercise protocol would be weight lifting.

Proper muscle tension is essential for any activity. Think of your muscle fibers as guitar strings. If a guitar string is too loose or too tight, it'll snap and won't create a properly resonant sound. Muscle fibers are no different--they should have a good tension balance.

Conversely, muscle heads who can't straighten their arms overhead definitely should put the weights down for a while and get their butts into the yoga studio.

It all comes down to balance in more ways than one in yoga. Listen to your body and don't force any postures in yoga.

Despite the words of caution, if you're reading this article and haven't been exercising lately, yoga is perhaps the best form of exercise to get back into shape and de-stress from the modern world.

Eating Organic --- Is it Really Healthier for You?

Don't Panic -- It's Organic!

Is this really a mantra to live by? Are we really any healthier if we eat organic foods rather than those conventionally grown? Is anything truly organic anymore, meaning, if a crop is grown without pesticides, does that necessarily mean that toxic or slightly polluted runoff doesn't seep into the soil of "organic" pastures?

The truth is, I really don't know, nor does science have a definitive answer.

But there are some rules of thumb I follow. Perhaps the following will be news to you. If you already know this, then this will be good review.

A non-profit called the Environmental Working Group released results of a 2003 study of pesticide levels in many American produce items.

Although it's not definitive if eating organic will add years to your life or prevent illness, the study by the EWG showed that Americans can reduce their exposure of pesticides by 90 percent by avoiding a dozen of the most contaminated and conventionally grown fruits and veggies.

The dirty dozen are (in order from most to least contaminated:

1. Peaches
2. Strawberries
3. Apples
4. Spinach
5. Nectarines
6. Celery
7. Pears
8. Cherries
9. Potatoes
10. Sweet bell peppers
11. Raspberries
12. Grapes

The study also listed a dozen of the cleanest conventionally grown fruits and vegetables. They are, from least to most contaminated:

1. Sweet Corn
2. Avocados
3. Pineapples
4. Cauliflower
5. Mangoes
6. Sweet Peas
7. Asparagus
8. Onions
9. Broccoli
10. Bananas
11. Kiwis
12. Papayas

In general, it is thought that fruits with hard shells can be eaten conventionally with minimal concern for contamination.

The bottom line for most people is budget. Sometimes organic produce can cost several dollars more than conventionally grown produce. And until there is definitive proof that organic makes a profound difference in my health, I don't plan on buying organic 100% of the time. I will, however, keep this "dirty dozen" list handy when I go to the market and try to buy organic.

It's also important to include what "Certified Organic" really means, as some may not really be able to define this term. It means that produce was grown on land free of chemicals for at least three years and on land with no sewage, irradiation, fake fertilizers or genetically-modified organisms (GMOs). Look for a USDA Organic label to know you're getting the real deal.

But if you have the money, buying organic probably is better for the environment, after all, herbicides used in conventional produce seep into our groundwater. 

Considering that organic farming was used for millenia before Frankenscience became the norm, it would be logical to conclude that eating organic is the way to go. Too bad we can't prove just yet how much so.....

A Wellness Coach’s Confession to Falling off the Wagon

Margaritas, tequila, beer, cookies, cakes, more cookies…for the last couple months, I was not practicing what I preached. I admit it. I indulged and it felt great. "Eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow we all die" was my motto.

No longer was I so vigilant about eating so healthy. Eating for my blood type, eating for metabolic type…I just had to let go temporarily and enjoy life more, guilt-free like the Europeans do.

And now my health has suffered for it.

I have just picked up a nasty sinus infection, my fourth or fifth in the last few years. Surfing cold water with elevated bacterial levels from heavy storm-drain runoff is probably the catalyst that crashed my immune system.

Surfing cold, dirty water normally wouldn’t get me sick.

Combining poor eating with surfing crashed my immune system.

After trying Ayurvedic remedies and homeopathy and over the counters to no avail, I resorted to antibiotic usage.

No natural wellness coach in their right mind would tell one of their clients to take antibiotics, but after getting no relief for several days, I decided to go the allopathic route.

Most people know by now that antibiotics override your immune system and kills not only harmful bacteria and causes of infection, but also beneficial gut flora that’s necessary for a healthy immune system.

I learned that when going to a regular physician or doctor, it’s best to write down a list of questions. I asked my doctor if I could take probiotics in conjunction with antibiotics. I was told I could in fact do that, but it was recommended to take them a few hours apart.

I could just blame this latest sinus infection on the downside of being a surfer. I probably wouldn’t ever get significantly sick if I didn’t surf.

But holistic health tries to find root causes and not just treat symptoms. That’s why I became certified in Functional Diagnostics, which has also taught me that my adrenals probably will be stressed from this sinus infection, hence, taking bio-identical hormone drops of DHEA can help me rebalance my hormone levels.

I’m outright jealous of my surfing friends who not only don’t catch sinus infections, but also have a less-then-optimal healthy lifestyle, smoking cigarettes and drinking alcohol on a daily basis.

So why then was I overindulging? I just felt like it. Holidays, vacations, birthday parties …. Sometimes it’s hard, even for me, somebody who usually just says “no”, to not be tempted by the devil.

The devil, for me, is sugar and yeast.

I don’t know why but in the run-up leading to my infection, I had frequent cravings for beer. I was having fun drinking socially and felt great, so why not let the good times continue to roll?

But I’ve learned that my system is very susceptible to crashing if exposed to higher than normal amounts of processed sugar and yeast.

If you need to drink alcohol and want to keep the love handles off, it’s probably better to drink one stiff drink with vodka or tequila than having beer or even wine.

Too often, yoga teachers and other health professionals are placed on a pedestal and expected to be perfect pillars of health.

For once, I have been knocked off, but I’ll climb back on, eating at least two healthy salads a day, taking probiotics, exercising with moderate intensity, ensuring that I don’t stress my system even more and of course, avoiding sugars.

It’s a hard pill to swallow knowing that I can’t eat whatever I want, like I thought I could.

The lesson, of course, is moderation. But when you’re trying to purge and rehabilitate from an infection, the best course of action is to be super strict and avoid any antigen responses from bad food choices until you're completely recovered.

I look forward to living the 85-15 rule again: Eat right for your type 85% of the time, eat whatever you want the other 15 percent.

Off to make a salad I go….