Alcohol and Your Body --- Paying the Price for Partying

Pay the Price to Party – Alcohol and Bodybuilding

It’s Friday night, I’m in the club, and everyone is drinking. I did everything right during the week. I worked out and followed my diet to the “T.” So I can have a “few drinks” right? Wrong! Unless I want to halt my progress and limit the results I’ve worked so hard for, I won’t drink. I order water with a lime, to create an illusion that I’m drinking.

Alcohol is the world’s oldest and most widely-used drug. Alcohol is used to relax, facilitate social events, and liven up a party, but who’s really paying the price for you to party? Let’s take a closer look.

Alcohol stimulates appetite and loosens inhibitions. This is a great combination if your only goal is to have a fun time and get lucky, but a horrible combination for the physique conscious. In its purest form, Ethyl Alcohol contains 7 calories per gram. Unlike calories from protein, fat, and carbohydrates, alcohol provides no nutrients or energy. This is why we call these 7 calories “empty calories.” On average a light beer contains 110 calories, a shot of 80 proof liquor contains 65 calories (don’t forget about the mixer), and red and white wines contain 120 calories. Factor the increased appetite and poor judgment and without even thinking about it you’ll be eating the typical “thousand calorie meal” establishments serve. The price being paid is already exceeding the physical dollar amount paid.

Alcohol is rapidly absorbed into the bloodstream, but one standard drink takes around 10 hours to process. Assuming you had more than one drink, athletic performance may be affected up to 48 hours after the last round. When alcohol is being metabolized, glycogen metabolism decreases. Glycogen is converted into glucose, which provides energy to the body. For every one day of drinking your reaction time, balance, coordination, thought process, energy levels, and overall abilities may be negatively affected for the following two days.

Keeping your muscles hydrated results in a much higher anabolic environment. Some even take creatine to over hydrate the muscles, creating an even higher anabolic environment. Your kidneys regulate electrolytes and fluids in the body. Electrolytes and fluids supply nutrients and remove cellular waste. Alcohol forces the kidneys to process massive amounts of water from all over the body, including the brain, to break down alcohol. The kidney’s go into overdrive to get rid of the “toxins” leading to dehydration. This explains why drinkers have to go to the bathroom frequently when drinking.

Alcohol hurts muscular gains and recovery. Your body utilizes alcohol for fuel before any other nutrient. The nutrients you eat before, during, and after drinking aren’t absorbed efficiently and sit around while the alcohol is being metabolized. Alcohol interferes with the absorption, storage, and use of vital nutrients. Slower protein absorption will directly diminish your gains and recovery. After a night of drinking you may fall asleep easier but, the quality of sleep (especially Rapid Eye Movement aka REM) is reduced. REM is believed to be the period during sleep that bodies do the greatest amount of repair. A disturbance of REM sleep may ultimately diminish recovery. Recovery and gains can also be affected by missed meals the following day due to either waking up late or feeling sick/ hung-over the next day.

Most know that anabolism increases with increased testosterone production and decreases with increased estrogen levels. Some even choose to take steroids to drive their testosterone levels to unnatural levels to achieve unnatural results. Alcohol lowers testosterone by interfering with its production and raises estrogen levels. Testosterone levels can drop up to 25% while being intoxicated. Overtime, men that are heavy drinkers often develop gynecomastia (aka man boobs) because alcohol speeds up the aromatization of androgens into estrogens.

To fully understand the effects of alcohol on fat burning and metabolism, take a look at how it’s metabolized. After being consumed, alcohol gets absorbed into the blood stream through the stomach and intestines. Around 98% of the alcohol is then processed by the liver. The liver converts fats into usable food and is a critical element that maintains a healthy body composition. The liver converts alcohol into an enzyme called alcohol dehydrogenase, which converts into acetaldehyde, then into acetate. Carbohydrates turn into acetate as well, but through many steps, providing muscles with glucose and energy. Alcohol, on the other hand, converts into acetate fast and easy and provides no nutrients for energy. A sharp rise in acetate will result in increased fat storage. Alcohol is a by-product of yeast. The digestion of yeast irritates and weakens the lining of the stomach. When the stomach is weakened, food is digested slower and less efficient, making weight loss harder. Alcohol impairs pancreatic enzymes that are needed to metabolize fat, which can result in a high blood lipid (fat) level.

All living things are composed of cells. Bioplasm is the matter that forms the bulk of the cell. Bioplasm is the only living matter that can take up food, grow, multiply, divide, and move. In the book “Alcohol: A Dangerous and Unnecessary Medicine, How and Why” by Martha M. Allen, an experiment was published on bioplasm. Different solutions were introduced to the bioplasm. A stimulant solution was added and the bioplasm increased in activity and divided more rapidly. An astringent was then added, causing the bioplasm to move more slowly and contract into a spherical shape. A relaxant was then introduced and the bioplasm spread in all directions barely moving, but when a stimulant was added again, it acted more vigorous than ever. Alcohol (also a stimulant) was then added and instantly the bioplasm contracted into a ball-like mass. They tried to stimulate and relax the bioplasm again, but nothing happened, it was completely dead.

“Alcohol destroys the very life force that alone keeps the body in repair.” If you want to perform at your best, build maximal muscle, or increase the potential for fat loss, alcohol should be avoided. The old saying goes “abstain and get them gains.” Who is paying the price for you to party? Your body is paying the price!

Reference: Martha M. Allen et al., Alcohol: A Dangerous and Unnecessary Medicine, How and Why, pg 64-104, 1900.

Parents, skip weight talk and focus on eating advice, study suggests !

 Melissa Healy gives us some great advice on how to talk to children about healthy eating and weight!

There's a growing list of things that clearly do NOT work in helping someone who's carrying too much weight trim down. Shaming, teasing and hectoring stand a good chance of backfiring, and it remains to be seen whether treating obesity as a disease -- as the American Medical Assn. voted to do last week -- will induce obese patients to lose weight. But a new study finds that when it comes to adolescents, especially those who are overweight or obese, even talking about diets and weight loss is a counterproductive strategy.

The study, published online first on Monday by the journal JAMA Pediatrics, asked parents of 2,348 adolescents, roughly half of whom were overweight, how they talked to their kids about the issue and food, intake and weight. The kids were drawn from high schools and middle schools around St. Paul, Minn., and were roughly equally divided among different races and ethnicities.

Not being overweight was no assurance that a kid would not get "diet and weight" talk from mom or dad: About 1 in 3 such kids heard suggestions to lose weight and how to do it. Among the parents of overweight adolescents, 60% of mothers and 59% of fathers reported having conversations about dieting and weight loss and the child's need to do it. Only 15% of mothers and 16% of fathers with overweight kids, by contrast, kept the focus on healthful eating. About 20% of the parents kept their mouths closed on the subject.

The overweight kids who got a good dose of healthful eating advice from parents were significantly less likely than those who heard diet-and-weight talk to engage in dieting and unhealthful weight-control behaviors such as fasting or laxative use. Among the 15% of those overweight kids whose parents focused on healthful eating, about 4 in 10 reported dieting or unhealthful weight-control behaviors. But that figure rose to 64% among overweight kids whose parents urged them to diet and lose weight.

Binge-eating, at least, did not appear to be more common among adolescents whose parents urged diet and weight loss than among those with parents that focused on healthful eating.

Fathers' voices on the diets versus healthful eating issue carried particular weight. While most of the parents and caregivers who reported conversations with their child were women, researchers were able to survey fathers of roughly half of the kids to see how they spoke to their kids on the subject. Compared with kids whose fathers were silent on the subject or who championed healthful eating, adolescents whose dads talked about weight loss and diets showed an even greater likelihood of engaging in unhealthful weight-loss behaviors.

These findings suggest that parents should avoid conversations that focus on weight or losing weight and instead engage in conversations that focus on healthful eating, without reference to weight issues, the authors write. This approach may be particularly important to parents of overweight or obese adolescents.

And dads? Whether or not their kids are overweight, the researchers suggested, they should probably just shut up.

"It may be important to educate fathers to avoid any form of weight-related conversation with their adolescents," the authors added.

As always be sure to stop by and speak with our highly trained and certified staff of sports nutritionist if you have any questions about healthy eating for you or your little one!

Til next time,

Mikie 

5 Ways Yoga Can Help Boost Athletic Performance

 This is a great article from Brook Robert of Muscle & Fitness we just had to share! Check it out!

Ahh, yoga. Crunchy, serene, woo-woo yoga. But we've got news for you: It’s not just for hippies or girls in yoga pants anymore – just ask the Seattle Seahawks. If you think yoga is a waste of your precious lifting time, think again. Developing a steady practice can actually help you get stronger.

The dirty truth of the matter is that putting your body through any repetitive movement (even weightlifting) will eventually create muscular imbalances and lead to injury. So hard-chargers take note: Incorporating yoga into your existing routine might be exactly what your body needs in order to improve.

Here are five ways yoga can benefit even the most muscular among us.

1. Increased Power

Flexibility keeps muscles and joints safe. Chances are, if you've just been using the same muscles for repetitive movements, they’re going to be pretty tight. Top-flight bodybuilders and dedicated weekend warriors alike love a good massage for this reason. Maybe you've even noticed a one rep max plateau, or a speed block. If a muscle is so tight that injury is imminent, your body will start to recruit other muscles to help out with certain moves. And if those muscles are under trained, you’re looking at a torn muscle and -gasp- down time. Elastic muscles and supple joints move more efficiently, recover more quickly and continue doing their jobs. Increasing your flexibility will also increase range of motion, which means an increased power output due to greater muscle recruitment, and more efficient movements.

2. Better Muscle Function

Yoga is a lot of things but it is basically all about breath and movement, movement and breath. To fully be present and to full articulate each posture in yoga, a strong, focused breath is essential. Doesn't hurt that it tames busy brain or helps take the edge off your pre-workout drink. Getting in touch with your breath can help establish better breathing patterns and access parts of your respiratory system that you didn't even know you could control. Get ready for more efficient oxygen intake, more complete exhalation, and better muscle function. Hello, gains. Goodbye muscle fatigue, symptoms of asthma, ragged breathing, and side stitches. Just like you wouldn't restrict precious nutrients and protein from your muscles, you should also be feeding your muscles with more delicious blood flow and oxygen. This is also certain to develop positive respiratory habits that you can carry into the rest of your training endeavors.

3. Mental Toughness

One of the biggest benefits of yoga is its emphasis on the connection between body and mind. Whether through meditation, or through the holding a headstand for an extended period of time, your mental toughness and focus are likely to improve. This might be the hardest benefit to achieve but once you begin to get your head in the game the benefits are almost unlimited.

4. Control   

“Pull your belly button to your spine,” “feel your lungs expanding,” “roll down your spine, one vertebrae at a time,” are all common phrases in yoga classes. It’s this constant cuing to pay attention to the smallest of sensations that helps build the neurological connections between our brains and our muscles (See No. 3). Yoga builds body awareness, and this can help you analyze your form during your workout to both optimize your lifting techniques, and help prevent compensation based injury. Again, this carries over into your normal cadre of sets-and-reps: the better you are able to “connect” mind and muscle, the more focused (read: efficient) each rep will be. Tough to think about the burn when you’re laser-focused on the effort.

5. Active Recovery and Muscle Repair

Active recovery typically means a light workout on an off day. These low-key days are a perfect way to slide yoga seamlessly into your schedule. Using specifically yoga as a form of active recovery can actually repair muscle fibers more quickly than other common forms, as the combination of stretching and relaxing muscles encourages blood flow to broken down muscle tissues. Do yoga, lift again sooner.

If you think yoga is just for slim, prissy girls with hot yoga pants on, think again. A great many of you out there likely have at least some familiarity with yoga through your TV-ordered set of P90X DVDs. Through yoga, you learn to control your body and your mind. And when it comes to building a stronger, leaner, more functional physique, that control can truly provide next-level results. 

Along with yoga a good nutritional diet will help keep your body balanced and ready for the next workout. Come see one of our certified nutrition specialist and let them help you balance out your diet!

Til next time,

Mikie

Health Benefits of Green Coffee Bean Extract: Does Research Support the Hype?

"Green coffee beans are the same coffee beans we have come to know and love.

The difference is that green coffee beans are left un-roasted, not only giving them a smoother taste than roasted beans, but also giving them a distinct array of health-promoting plant chemicals.

The concept of green coffee applies to green tea as well.

Green, white, oolong, and black teas actually come from the same Camellia 

sinensis  plant, but green tea is the least  processed.

The change in how long the teas are roasted determines why green tea has different health properties than black tea.

This is also how green coffee beans harbor unique health benefits when compared to roasted coffee beans.

We know that drinking regular black coffee can be associated with a lower incidence of diabetes, certain types of cancer, as well as Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and liver disease (1; 2), but what is so exciting about green coffee bean extract?

Emerging research shows that green coffee bean extract, may be a low-cost way to reduce weight naturally.

Early research suggests the extract may help normal weight adults prevent weight gain, and overweight adults from becoming obese (3).

According to animal studies, green coffee bean extract may support weight loss and inhibit weight gain by three interesting ways:

1. Block absorption of fats

2. Boost fat-burning

3. Support healthy sugar and insulin levels

Together, these three mechanisms may create a unique & natural synergy that may support natural weight loss in a way that would be very difficult to mimic with a drug.
(4; 5; 6; 7; 8; 9; 10; 11)

Green coffee beans contain unique plant chemicals that are otherwise lost with typical coffee roasting.

Coffee Antioxidants: Chlorogenic Acid

The “breakthrough” compounds believed to be responsible for the health benefits of green coffee beans are chlorogenic acids.

When you consume green coffee bean extract, a portion of the chlorogenic acids are believed to be absorbed directly in the small intestine. The leftover compounds that make it to the large intestine and colon then do something interesting.

Further down the intestinal tract, chlorogenic acids may interact with healthy bacteria in the colon to produce additional sub-chemicals. Researchers associate these chemicals with even more anti-inflammatory benefits (12).

Chlorogenic acids found in coffee may also:

• Improve brain performance and mental health (13)
• Reduce oxidative stress, body fat, and energy uptake, while also boosting glutathione, your body’s primary antioxidant and toxin-scavenger.
  • Ultimately, the extract may reduce DNA damage and yield anti-aging properties (14; 15)
• Reduce blood pressure, although the research evidence is still inconclusive (16; 17; 18).
  • The proposed blood pressure-lowering effect may be a result of 5-quinoyl quinic acid as well as other chlorogenic acids found in green coffee bean. Scientists also have shown that the higher the dose of green coffee bean extract given, the more profoundly that blood pressure may be lowered. (19; 20; 21).
• Offer anti-cancer properties, and like similar plant chemicals, may keep cancer cells from metastasizing into new areas of the body (22).

Green Coffee Bean Extract has become extremely popular in just a short time. Dr. Oz recently featured it on his popular television show, and Starbucks now features green coffee bean extract in their new Refresher drinks.

So while the research is still young and predominated by animal studies, it supports the claims that green coffee beans can boost energy and potentially help you burn fat and lose weight. Just beware of unnecessary added sugars.

I’m usually one of the first to question a new trend, but I do believe that green coffee beans can be a useful piece of your nutrition and lifestyle strategy to support healthy blood sugar, improve fat metabolism, and ultimately maintain a healthy weight."

Its' the new year and everyone wants to burn fat. 2013 saw the introduction to many new and natural fat burners. One particularly interesting one has been green coffee bean extract.

Dr. Alexander Rinehart, MS, DC, CCN give us his run down on everyone favorite little bean!

Stop by and try a sample of some of the great product we have in store with green coffee bean today!
Til next time,
Mikie 

3 Reasons You Shouldn't Make a Fitness-Related New Years Resolution for 2014

2014 is just around the corner and the talk of New Years resolutions are in full swing. But how serious are you about it? Do you make a New Years resolution every year, just to see it fail within a few short weeks or months?

Check out these 3 reasons you shouldn’t make a fitness-related New Years resolution for 2014.

New Years resolutions often fail

I’ve read a number of articles that state anywhere from 88% to 92% of New Years resolutions fail. Even taking the most optimistic number, a 12% chance of success for a New Years resolution is not very good odds.

I understand that New Years resolutions are fun, and the idea of starting the new year with a clean slate is enticing. My advice to you is if you are going to make a New Years resolution, make it something less important that doesn’t have to do with fitness or taking care of your body. Because your body deserves a whole lot better than a 12% chance you’re going to take care of it.

New Years resolutions aren’t structured for success

What are some of the fitness-related New Years resolutions you hear about?

I want to eat healthier
I want to lose weight
I want to start going to the gym

These are such bland statements. There is no defined path as to how you are going to reach your resolution. Additionally, how are you going to measure your success? If you lose one lb? Ten lbs?

New Years resolutions often aren’t specific enough to be able to measure and define success. That makes it hard to stay motivated.

Instead of a New Years resolution, I encourage you to make a goal or goals. Not just any goals, specific goals. If you want to lose weight, how much weight do you want to lose and by when? How are you going to get there?

A great goal might be something like I want to lose five pounds by March 1st by keeping my body active at least three days a week. Boom. You know exactly what you want, when you want it, and how you’re going to achieve it.

Choosing to make a goal instead of a New Years resolution is a BIG WIN in my opinion.

New Years resolutions make you wait

Okay, so you have your resolution in mind and you’re patiently waiting for the new year to roll around so you can start. Here’s my question to you: why are you waiting for the new year?

Anything that you think worth starting is worth starting today. Not tomorrow. Not a week from now. Not a month from now. Today.

New Years resolutions give people a false sense of hope. They think that just because it’s a new year it somehow increases their chance of success. But do you think that years of living a sedentary lifestyle are all of a sudden going to disappear with the new year? Of course not! It’s going to carry over with you into the new year.

I always encourage people to start today. There’s absolutely no reason in the world to wait. If you truly want something, work towards taking it by starting today. I believe fitness is a lifetime commitment. The sooner you start, the sooner you’re going to reach your goals, which leads you to create new goals, and on and on and on.

I certainly hope I don’t derail you from creating a New Years resolution for 2014. New Years resolutions can be fun. I just encourage you to keep fitness-related resolutions out of the equation. Instead, create fitness goals and start today. This path will give you a lot better chance of success than relying on a New Years resolution to get you there.

Can you think of any other reasons you shouldn't make a fitness-related New Years resolution for 2014? What is your New Years resolution for 2014?

Til next time,

Jeff Behar, MS, MBAPresident at MyBestHealthPortal.net

Maple-Roasted Sweet Potatoes

I love the fall and all the healthy food that comes with it! 
One of my favorite things is sweet potato's and in the fall you get extra fresh ones. 

So I found a great recipe on www.eatingwell.com that I had to share!!
I've taken it a little father and added some Myofusion protein into the mix it give it a little more protein. I hope you enjoy!

Makes: 12 servings, about 1/2 cup each

Active Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

INGREDIENTS

• 2 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces (about 8 cups)
• 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 1/2 scoop Myofusion Elite Vanilla

PREPARATION

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Arrange sweet potatoes in an even layer in a 9-by-13-inch glass baking dish. Combine maple syrup, butter, lemon juice, protein ,salt and pepper in small bowl. Pour the mixture over the sweet potatoes; toss to coat.
3. Cover and bake the sweet potatoes for 15 minutes. Uncover, stir and cook, stirring every 15 minutes, until tender and starting to brown, 45 to 50 minutes more.

TIPS & NOTES

• Make Ahead Tip: Cover and refrigerate for up to 1 day. Just before serving, reheat at 350°F until hot, about 15 minutes.

NUTRITION

Per serving: 246 calories; 5 g fat ( 2 g sat , 0 g mono ); 5 mg cholesterol;  24 g carbohydrates; 26 g protein; 2 g fiber; 228 mg sodium; 189 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin A (230% daily value), Vitamin C (15% dv)

Carbohydrate Servings: 1 1/2

Exchanges: 1 1/2 starch, 1/2 fat

I hope you enjoy these as much as I do and feel free to stop by and share your favorite recipes with us!

Til next time,

 Mikie

How to Eat More Healthy Fats

How to Eat More Healthy Fats

 

Fat might be the most misunderstood nutrients of all time, often reduced or even cut out completely when people are trying to “shed” or eat “more healthily,” according to that old and erroneous low-fat mentality.  Given this  fat phobia, healthy fat is one of my favorite topics for discussion with people. It’s not only essential for our overall health and mood, but it’s critical for our metabolism. Fat matters when you’re trying to lose fat! Let’s talk about  tips for boosting this essential nutrient and giving your body the healthy fat it needs!

Healthy sources of dietary fat can include nuts and nut butters like P28, seeds and certain oils, as well as the naturally occurring fats in meats and some vegetables. When trying to boost intake of healthy fats, I generally coach with guidelines covering animal fats, nuts and seeds, and oils.

Keep the yolk. All sorts of healthy nutrients, including fat, live in the yolk of the egg. When preparing your morning breakfast or other foods, be sure to keep the yolk for some extra healthy fat in your meal.

Flax it. Flaxseed comes in whole, liquid or ground version, all which can be beneficial to pump up the healthy fat in your meal. Try adding a tablespoon to your gluten free oats, protein shake, or even to your stir fry or salad. 

Co-co-nut. Fix up the taste of your meals with coconut oil. Solid at room temperature, a tablespoon over the stove will melt fast and amplify the favor of your foods. Unsweetened coconut flakes can also be a great addition to any meal and works well for a healthier breading on fish and poultry! One of my favorite is by E-Pharm and called Organic Extra virgin coconut oil!

There are a number of supplement products that contain the correct amount of healthy fats as well, like Met-Rx Triple Omega and CLA, D-Fine 8 and even some proteins like Pro Complete 40!

Below is another list of some everyday 'Good Fat' you can add into your diet that you might not thing about. 

Til Next time, Seth