Thursday, January 29, 2009

Unrefined Cane Sugar

From Tim at www.ettlt.com

I think it’s amazing to watch the body’s reaction to refined and unrefined products. For example, whenever I have refined sugar I notice a marked terrible feeling. Ha. Almost every time that I have refined sugar I regret it. My body digests and responds so much better with unrefined sugar. Like Rapadura:

Rapadura by Rapunzel is the best that I have seen for high quality organic, unrefined sugar. Sucanat is good as well and still has the original molasses intact but it is processed differently. Buying “raw” sugar is better than refined, and I notice that I handle it better, but when sugar still has that crystal look to it then it is still more processed than I prefer it.

Buying unrefined sugar is better for your health as it retains trace vitamins and minerals like iron, calcium, vitamin B6, potassium and chromium, which helps balance blood sugar. Refined sugars do not retain theses vitamins and minerals. Also, real sugar is not white. Most people are just used to seeing and buying heavily processed and refined sugar. Really the major thing here is the insulin swings. As I just mentioned, having the minerals remain in the sugar (like chromium) greatly aid in the body’s ability to control and balance blood sugar. Some studies have shown that up to 98% of chromium is removed from refined sugars and flours.

So if you are going to enjoy sweet things and are going to use cane sugar, I highly recommend using unrefined Sucanat or Rapadura. Your body will thank you… and you can feel a little less guilty.

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Alcohol and Weight Gain

It seems to be such a re-occurring thing as far as weight loss goes, people want their beer and weight loss too. Unfortunately this cannot happen, the two do not mix well.
I will explain, there are two kind of carbohydrates, healthy carbs and carbs that are digested as sugars. Now most conventional carbs are found in everything from bread and potatoes to fruits and cereals. Their origin does not decide their health factors, for instance an apple is good for you but not because it has carbs but because it contains the extra enzymes to help you digest those carbs in the most effective way possible. On the other hand bread containing white flour or wheat flour for that matter are equally filled with carbs but these are not as easily broken down do to the processing and sterilization of the wheat itself. Both come from good sources, living plants but they are not equal at all because of the process.

These unhealthy carbs as it were, are going to be broken down as sugars and ultimately stored as fat or in fat. They are not recognized as a viable food source which in turn will send your body into "starvation mode" thus storing a lot of other things such as some of the good food or healthy carbs. This is the biggest problem with beer, especially light beer. Light beer has been put through a vigorous process of carb reduction through chemical breakdown and filtration.
This is bad for a number of reasons the least of which being that the carbs in the beer are now not healthy and will not be digested like they should.

Your beer can be good for you there are numerous studies out there listing the healthy benefits of alcohol as a matter of fact your body produces alcohol everyday, but I think if you have come to a place in your life where you want to achieve maximum health you need to refrain from beer or at least cut back.

Over and over again I will have clients who are working hard to get into shape and they will spend the weekend drinking and will come in 2-5 pounds heavier than when they left on friday. It never fails the two beer and weight loss do not play nice together. especially when you are on a carb free, raw, and organic diet. I believe this to make the bad carbs from bad beer get stored that much faster.
This is because your system is cleaner and it has become accustomed to eating clean raw easily digestible food, then BAM you put something in it (your body) doesn't recognize as a food source and the bad carbs get stored right away.
If you don't believe me try it, then let me know.

You should limit yourself to 2 to 3 beers a week and consume a heavier beer such as but not limited to a wheat beer or an oatmeal stout. This will fill you up and you can digest it much better, if you find yourself consuming too much take a digestive enzyme to help you to process it.

Good luck and stay healthy!

Monday, January 26, 2009

Feedlot diets are a recipe for animal discomfort and disease

www,eatwild.com
Consumers are beginning to realize that taking ruminants off their natural diet of pasture and fattening them on grain or other feedstuff diminishes the nutritional value of the meat and milk. But what does a feedlot diet do to the health and well-being of the animals?

1) The first negative consequence of a feedlot diet is a condition called "acidosis." During the normal digestive process, bacteria in the rumen of cattle, bison, or sheep produce a variety of acids. When animals are kept on pasture, they produce copious amounts of saliva that neutralize the acidity. A feedlot diet is low in roughage, so the animals do not ruminate as long nor produce as much saliva. The net result is "acid indigestion."

2) Over time, acidosis can lead to a condition called "rumenitis," which is an inflammation of the wall of the rumen. The inflammation is caused by too much acid and too little roughage. Eventually, the wall of the rumen becomes ulcerated and no longer absorbs nutrients as efficiently.

3) Liver abscesses are a direct consequence of rumenitis. As the rumen wall becomes ulcerated, bacteria are able to pass through the walls and enter the bloodstream. Ultimately, the bacteria are transported to the liver where they cause abscesses. From 15 to 30 percent of feedlot cattle have liver abscesses.

4) Bloat is a fourth consequence of a feedlot diet. All ruminants produce gas as a by-product of digestion. When they are on pasture, they belch up the gas without any difficulty. When they are switched to an artificial diet of grain, the gasses can become trapped by a dense mat of foam. In serious cases of bloat, the rumen becomes so distended with gas that the animal is unable to breathe and dies from asphyxiation.

5) Feedlot polio is yet another direct consequence of switching animals from pasture to grain. When the rumen becomes too acidic, an enzyme called "thiaminase" is produced which destroys thiamin or vitamin B-1. The lack of vitamin B-1 starves the brain of energy and creates paralysis. Cattle that are suffering from feedlot polio are referred to as "brainers."

Typically, feedlot managers try to manage these grain-caused problems with a medicine chest of drugs, including ionophores (to buffer acidity) and antibiotics (to reduce liver abscesses). A more sensible and humane approach is to feed animals their natural diet of pasture, to which they are superbly adapted.

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Overwhelming Evidence That The Sun Prevents Cancer

A new paper analyzes the case for vitamin D’s cancer-fighting power by looking at the well-known Hill criteria for examining causality in a biological system. The Hill criteria look at:

1. Strength of association
2. Consistency (repeated observation)
3. Specificity (one agent, one result)
4. Temporality (exposure precedes effect)
5. Biological gradient (dose-response relation)

6. Plausibility (e.g., mechanisms)
7. Coherency (no serious conflict with the generally known facts of the natural history and biology of the disease)
8. Experimental verification (randomized, controlled trial)
9. Analogy with other causal relationships

The theory that solar ultraviolet radiation -- and by extension, vitamin D, which is produced when such radiation strikes your skin -- is a potent cancer fighter satisfies most, if not all, of the criteria. From a scientific point of view, therefore, vitamin D reduces the risk of many forms of cancer and increases survival rates once cancer reaches a detectable stage.

However, public policy often lags behind scientific research. It is to be hoped that the acceptance of the beneficial nature of vitamin D in reducing the risk of cancer and many other diseases will not have too much longer to wait. It is encouraging that the National Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Medicine is currently embarking on a two-year study of vitamin D, and is expected to issue a report in 2010.
Sources:
Dermato-Endocionology 1:1, 14-21; January 2009 (PDF)

This being said there are other things to consider such as, the right type of oils to be converted to vitamin D in your body.
Cod liver oil, Coconut oil, grass fed butter and dairy carries great oils and fats that will convert easily as well as most fish oils.

Then you have the length of sun exposure for the body type you are. Generally speaking you should still approach over exposure with caution. Taking the sun in 30 minute doses is a great way to use caution no matter the skin type.

Your body uses vitamin D in so many places it would be a shame to have it lacking. Sun is an easy source so go soak it up.

Monday, January 19, 2009

The Pain Of Life

Hello all, I hope that you are doing well on this fine cold day. I know I have been away for awhile, I have been trying to get a project done. This project was laying ceramic tile in my utility room, which is a back breaking task. It is nearly done, all I have left to do is to seal the grout and move everything back to its location which is a job in and of itself. I tell you this to tell you about the pain that is life, Ok not really but life is full of pain that much is true.
This job has made my back sore and my legs, well they have been stiff to say the least. This is because no matter how much you think you are in shape your body needs static work to reach all the muscles. What is static movement?
It is the movement and or sustained muscle flex either do to an exercise or in my case prolonged work in one or two positions. This forces the muscle to stay contracted with little more than its own weight on any specific muscle group at any one time.
My pain was due to the fact that I spent the entire time on my knees hovering over the tile but not touching it. This is a great workout if you can work it in, but doing it over and over without rest will give you more pain than you need.

Don't get me wrong there will be pain but it should be minor, and if you don't feel some pain then you are not getting a good workout or not doing it right. In many cases I have clients that will want to work their abs and they will not feel the burn in the abs like they have grown a costumed too in other areas of their bodies. This is because your body has its own way of getting stronger, it will concentrate the friction more on the weaker supporting muscles like your lower back and upper legs. So if you can't get that burn you need in your abs do some lower back exercises. Running will give your lower abs a great work out no matter where you are in your fitness journey. Running will help cut out the V that we wish we could get more defined.

As for the static workout do some research and work some of this into your workout routine, it will help you pull out some of those hard to reach muscles.
Now go get sore!

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Making Good Choices

This is my "new years" article for all those resolutions or broken ones rather. I know you all know the importance of fitness as well as nutrition but what about spiritual?
We spend lots of time on our bodies and very little on the mind and spirit (they are different). This is common unless you are into yoga but thats a "different" type of spiritual journey. Giving yourself to the process of health and fitness is so much more engaging than you have been led to be believe by media and other outside sources.
The difference is the concentration of spiritual well being over anything else in your life but NOT with utter disregard for your body and mind.
This is the mission I want to deal with as it pertains to my clients and my life, a holistic approach to your health but not for your benefit but for the purpose of giving gifts to others. Confusing?
Well I will try and explain it, you see God gives us things that He knows we can handle like the parable of the servants and the talents. The first servant got 3 talents, the second received 2 and the third 1, why? Because the Master knows what we can handle before He gives it to us. Can you "handle" your body? Its a gift to you, much like the life it carries and the lives you influence.
God is a great Creator you are fearfully and wonderfully made, no kidding if you don't believe put it to the test. Try it, try God and if He doesn't show Himself to you in someway after you have called upon His name then I am wrong, I have been wrong before and will be wrong again, but this I know God Is real and He wants to use you and your body.

You can do all things through Christ who strengthens you, don't be afraid of change especially when it is ordained by your Creator. Give your body to something, someone bigger than all your problems He will give your strength to fix your broken body. The you can give me call and we will make it happen, spiritually, mentally and physically.

Friday, January 9, 2009

Eat Today To Live Tomorrow

Once again my friend Tim Mallon has articulated the importance of a healthy diet on his site www.ettlt.com I am blessed to know him and want you to enjoy his article like I did. So here you go.

First I should say that I am not against vegetarians. I used to be a vegetarian for a short time. I have had an interest in eating healthy for around 12 years now, so of course I have studied it. In looking at the issue of food I have found that there are many conflicting sources. From Atkins to The China Study. All over the board… I am aware of this and most likely you are as well. So I will state my foundations and biases as to how I come to my conclusions.

I base my eating first and foremost on the Bible. Of course I realize the world has changed and times have changed but the foundational truths have not. When the Bible mentions change in diet or mentions profitable foods it does so for a reason. That is not to say that we must now eat exactly as the Israelites did or that we are under the Mosaic law. It is however to say that it is beneficial and profitable for us.

So after the fall and as subsequently given to Noah and then Moses, God directed which meats were beneficial for consumption with the understanding that vegetables and grain were good in their proper context. SO of course I am a vegetable lover, and in fact, more so than any vegetarian I have met. Most vegetarians I have met (I will admit they have been in bands on the road) eat very poorly… mostly eating french fries, chips, soy protein bars, tofu, and popcorn.

Now onward. In detailing which meat to be added to the vegetables and grains, God gave specific instructions due to the quality and cleanliness of the animal and meat. There is specific examples of roasting lamb over the fire, and choosing beef, poultry, and certain fish, while eschewing (I like that word, I mean avoiding) pork, ostrich, shrimp, crab, lobster, catfish, and all sorts of other unclean foods. Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14 give the wisdom.

So starting from that basis we can form a foundation and move forward. For example, today many things that were once ‘normal’, natural, and customary are no longer… like cows grazing in the pasture or unpolluted oceans. So the ramifications of these things should be taken into account. As modern technologies and so called modern wisdom corrupts good food… then beef from cows that are raised stuffed in a barn with 6000 other cattle, fed who knows what, and stuffed full of antibiotics, have their milk heated, homogenized, and then added with fake vitamin A and D and extra powder milk, then they are butchered. That is a far cry from the quality of milk and meat from a cow that is eating grass and hay (it’s vegetables) and is living how God made a cow to live and it’s food to be taken.

Also with regard to fish, because of heavy metal contamination in much of the oceans, many fish contain unsafe levels of heavy metals. Therefore one should continue to seek out, not only wild caught fish (not farmed), but also fish caught where they will not contain unsafe levels of heavy metals like mercury.

So you can see how to have a foundation that promotes health and wellness and have to move forward from that. Foods like grass-fed beef and lamb, pastured poultry, and wild caught fish are excellent for health.

Vegetarians face the problem of B-12. There is not real B12 in plants… only B12 analogues (similar structure) which can actually compete for absorption and lead to a B12 deficiency.

Also, typically vegetarians stress a low saturated fat diet which is not accurate. In fact, fats like coconut oil and butter from grass-fed cows are extremely healthy and excellent for the body. Unrefined, extra virgin coconut oil is rich in lauric acid and butter from grass-fed cows is rich in trace minerals and fat-soluble vitamins that protect against cancer and infections. Isaiah 7:15 says, “Butter and honey shall he eat, that he may know to refuse the evil, and choose the good.” While they can eat both of these fats, the viewpoint is typically contrary to such fats.

I also do not believe that vegetarians live longer, in fact looking at history not only does it not appear true on the surface, often most of the quality and type of animal sources are taken into account and when they are the people group lives just as long or longer than anyone eating any way. Also, I do not eat for long life but so that if God should allow me long life it will be a means which He has ordained to carry that out as well as, so that I will be able to have a better quality of life in the present to carry out His will.

The whole idea promoted by some vegans and vegetarians that eating meat from animals is inhumane… is simply preposterous (another great word). Animals should be taken care of and raised with care, but they are for our benefit. We have dominion over them. We are allowed to use their skins for warmth and wear. We are allowed to eat them for nourishment. They are not humans. Jesus always noted how much more value humans were than animals. So it is not wrong to save the whales and baby seals… but come on… Americans are aborting human babies and neglecting the poor and elderly.

Some people just do not like the taste of meat. There are good animal products like organic eggs, raw butter, and raw milk from grass-fed sources that can fill the gaps.

Well… I am ready to stop typing for now. As always more can be said. AND as always I will say that high quality sources are important.

New Meals Now Available!!

Its finally here a we now offer meals to ensure that you can do this no matter what your schedule is like. Now you don't even have to cook! We do it all for you while offering you the best foods available. Fresh raw, organic and grass fed meats prepared in traditional ways all by hand made to order. Not pre- packed and sitting on the shelf with preservatives and unnatural additives, fresh like you would cook them.

These meals are made for you so you can take the next step in your journey to health by learning how to make these great dishes that are very good for you plus will help you lose weight. If you live here in nashville we have a wide variety of training available plus all the encouragement that you need to get through this with the help of a trainer.

In home training In the gym training (private personal training gym)
$75 a one hour session $65 a one hour session

2x a week for the month in home total is $600 In the Gym $520
3x a week for the month in home total is $900 In the Gym $780

In home with your supplements. In gym the price is the same.
Add $65

In home or in the gym with meals (breakfast, lunch and dinners)
Add $400 for the month
This includes a great tasting organic peanut butter crunch, or chocolate macadamia nut crunch bar for breakfast and a Perfect Meal shake for lunch.
Plus all organic and grass fed home cooked dinners, chosen from a menu of some of your favorites plus some new things that will tempt your taste buds. These meals are prepared at the beginning of the week for freshness, and include the recipes so you can learn to make them as you get into shape. Ensuring a holistic approach to your health and well being, guaranteeing that you can not only lose weight but maintain weight loss as well as feel better than ever before!

In home or in gym ALL-INCLUSIVE! This is everything supplements and meals for the entire month.
2x a week for the month your total is $1165 In the Gym $985
3x a week for the month your total is $1465 In the Gym $1245

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This package has 2 levels only.
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A 10% discount is available for cash payment and prepayment of your sessions. And for prepayment for 2 months you will receive both a 10% discount and 1 free session. We also offer credit card service for an additional $25.

terrybarga.com
nashvillepersonaltrainer.net
ettlt.com
nashvillenutritionals.com

Wednesday, January 7, 2009

The Growing War Between Modern Medicine and the Public

How can the U.S. significantly reduce health-care costs, and yet plan on increased employment in the health-care industry? According to the article linked below, this is the moral crux for American medicine. If Americans become healthier, there will be fewer jobs. Maybe this is why modern medicine drags its feet when it comes to preventive medicine.

The government is complicit in spawning the diabetes/obesity epidemic by subsidizing the production of non-nutrient-dense foods and high-fructose corn syrup. Statin anti-cholesterol drugs are approved by the FDA even though they don’t reduce mortality rates. Modern medicine is an industry that wants more, not less, disease to treat. Doctors aren’t interested in disease prevention -- conventional medicine is quick to dismiss any truly preventive therapies as unproven and requiring more study.

Still, an estimated 38 percent of U.S. adults, along with 12 percent of children, use some type of complementary and alternative medicine, according to a new U.S. government survey.

Complementary and alternative medicine refers to a wide-ranging collection of medical and health care systems, practices and products that aren't generally considered conventional medicine. They include herbal supplements, meditation, chiropractic treatment and acupuncture.

For the survey, more than 23,300 adults were interviewed about their use of complementary and alternative medicine. More than 9,400 were also asked about their children's use of complementary and alternative medicine.

The survey found that the use of techniques such as deep breathing, meditation, massage therapy, and yoga increased significantly. The most common supplements used by adults are omega 3 fats, glucosamine, echinacea, flaxseed, and ginseng.

Other findings from the survey showed that more women than men use complementary and alternative medicine (42.8 percent versus 33.5 percent). Older, more educated and wealthier adults also used complementary and alternative medicine in greater numbers.

It’s no wonder that 38 percent of American adults have opted for alternative medicine. Where else can the public turn? Many patients are belittled when they tell their doctors they are taking dietary supplements instead of prescription drugs.

Americans are increasingly distrustful of prescription medicines. According to a 2005 poll, 35 percent of Americans who were prescribed drugs didn’t take them because they wanted to save money, and another 28 percent didn’t take them because of "frightening side effects.

It is becoming increasingly clear that conventional medicine is working against the public welfare.
Sources:
LewRockwell.com December 13, 2008
U.S. News December 10, 2008
National Health Federation

Monday, January 5, 2009

Tis The Season

Well we all made it through another holiday season, I hope there where few casualties in the fight to be fit. I know I struggled to get to the gym while I was away in Ohio visiting my family. But I am happy to report that we all came back well and with no sickness thanks to the vacation precautions article I wrote.

This is the biggest season for weight loss, all those empty resolutions about losing weight and being more healthy get there start this month and will probably find there ending here too.
You don't have to quit you know you can do this, nobody said it should taste bad but it will be hard. I encourage you to dig deep and to learn about your food (hopefully thats why you are here reading this) Understand why organic, raw and living foods are your best bet for losing weight, regaining your energy and health all while eating better than you do right now. I find two things to be prominent when discussing weight loss first, is nobody seems to know how to keep it off the second is people feel like the deserve certain foods.
The most important thing here is that you don't deserve anything! You must work for everything and never give up, its a marathon not a sprint. If you are not seeing the results in the gym you want work harder. If you are not keeping weight off then eat better, do it for life not for the year.

Physical training is one of the many ways you can serve the Lord. The body has to be conditioned too, much like the spirit and the mind. This should be a holistic process and you should strive for excellence in each one but keep your spirit first priority. We can serve the Lord with health, everything you have should be a gift to someone else. Everyday you have of health is a gift from God and we should praise Him and give to others the blessing that have been given to us.

I hope you all have a great year and remember to contact me if you want training or just want to talk.