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Is your thyroid holding you back?

Jul 23 2020

The information contained here is for informational purposes and in no way should be taken over the advise of your doctor or other healthcare provider or nutritionist. Do your own research and consult with your doctor especially if you are already taking medication or under a doctors care.

The thyroid gland, it sits in the front of your neck just below your Adam’s apple, which is why the doctor feels your throat sometimes when he/she is doing a physical. They are feeling for any abnormalities and growths or more specifically a “Goiter”.

In general, the thyroid is responsible for producing the primary metabolic hormones T4 and T3 and another one called calcitonin which regulates calcium levels. When functioning properly, those hormones T3 and T4 can be an exercisers best friend, taking all that time in the gym and helping you burn off excess fat. Unfortunately, that is not always the case and many people experience the side effects of a slow or “Hypothyroid” and don’t even realize it. Many times, thyroid disorders come on gradually and more often than not, most of us attribute it to “getting older”. Then one day you experience joint pain, sluggishness, infertility or heart disease which are a few among many symptoms. You may not even consider it’s your thyroid, which plays a big part in keeping us lean.

So if you notice you have any of the following symptoms below, be sure to see your doctor because an untreated thyroid problem can complicate into other diseases or may be the result of an under lying disease, like an auto immune disorder like Hashimoto’s or a pituitary disorder.
FYI- The pituitary gland is the size of a pea and hangs off the bottom of the hypothalamus which is gland located in the base of the brain. The pituitary senses when thyroid hormones are low and secretes TSH or thyroid stimulating hormone, into the blood stream. It travels to the thyroid gland and tells it to make T4. T4 is then converted into a more active form called T3.

Here are some of the symptoms of a slow thyroid:

Tired or out of breath
Increased sensitivity to cold
Depressed
High cholesterol
Unexplained weight gain
Constipated
Pale-dry skin
Hoarse voice
Puffy face
Hair loss
Brittle fingernails
Memory loss
Infertility

So you ask how does this condition occur?

For some people it can be a genetic inheritance or if you are one of those “yoyo” dieters or poor eaters, you can be setting yourself up for thyroid problems, especially if you suffer from anorexia or other types of food deprivation such as “Fad” diets”. Since women are effected more than men, let’s take a look at how most women are programmed to lose weight- according to today’s culture. So ladies listen up!!!!

Your thyroid problems can actually be caused by a condition called Estrogen Dominance. This is where estrogen and thyroid compete against one another, since they both have opposite effects on fat metabolism (Estrogen stores it). In this case, you guessed who wins this contest.

Most women begin their diet with a daily food intake consisting of a piece of celery and a cracker and decide that should do it for the day. Ok seriously, you will lose weight but the problem is when the body is starved for food, it shuts down many other “less important” processes to conserve energy, one of which is ovulation. Your body say’s “if I’m not getting enough food to support one person, why would I support two?” So your ovaries shut down and Bang…..you now have a hormone problem. Estrogen then builds up because your progesterone is shut down and you guessed it, the weight starts to pack on. In general about 2lbs a month.

That’s one of the main reasons taking birth control causes weight gain. Are you getting it ladies, please stop listening to the latest super models and eat!! They all probably have more problems than you can imagine anyway. That doesn’t mean run out to the nearest Crispy Crème or beef stand and load up. Just be smart about it. Check out my dietary guidelines page for a good starter.

So you ask how do I know if I have a thyroid problem?

Well in addition to having some of the symptoms I previously listed, another way to check or confirm that you may have a problem is by monitoring your rising body temperature. This should be done for 5 days in a row. If your waking temperature is lower than 97.5 you have a low body temperature and if you have symptoms, you should see your doctor for further tests. For women who are menstruating do this test after the 3rd or 4th day of your menstrual cycle as it may affect your body temperature. Be sure to take your temperature before you even get out of bed. So put that thermometer on your nightstand.
Although a lower than normal body temperature is indicative of a slow thyroid there are other medical conditions that can effect body temperature and you should see your doctor for medical advise if you do have a lower than normal rising body temperature.

Other causes or complications of thyroid disorders

1. Sometimes it could be as simple as not enough protein in the diet, especially if your lacking an amino acid called Tyrosine. Amino acids are building blocks of protein and tyrosine helps make thyroid from the mineral Iodine, which leads us to our next one.

2. Iodine is what’s known as a “trace mineral” that is important in the production of thyroid hormones. A deficiency is rare in the United States since most table salt is made up of iodine or “Iodized salt”. In addition, foods like kelp as well as seafood and seaweed are high in iodine.

3. Selenium is also known as a trace mineral and is extremely important in the conversion of T4 to T3, which is the thyroid hormone responsible for eating away fat like packman ate up those little cherries.

4. Some medications may be affecting your thyroid gland. One of the more common ones is Lithium, which is a psychiatric drug. So be sure if you are on any medication that you ask your doctor if it can cause complications to your thyroid gland.

5. Some people suffer from a tumor to the pituitary gland, which produces Thyroid Stimulating Hormone or TSH. So no TSH or improper functioning TSH and no T4!

6. Pregnancy sometimes causes thyroid problems due to a psychologically depressed condition called postpartum hypothyroidism. The body produces antibodies to their own thyroid gland and if left untreated can cause a miscarriage or a condition called preeclamsia. A condition in the last three months of pregnancy that causes a significant rise in blood pressure. Low thyroid is only one cause of preeclampsia as there are others.

7. Radiation from cancer treatments to the head or neck may affect your thyroid. In addition, too many x-rays as well. Be sure your dentist uses good equipment and his/her x-ray machine is operating properly. Also, be sure that if you change dentists, you don’t get un-necessary x-rays done. Have them transferred from the other.

8. Too much fluoride or chlorine and I do mean the fluoride in your tooth paste as well as tap water. They block the iodine receptors in the thyroid gland and reduce production of the hormones. Can you say purified water!

9. If you already take thyroid hormones like synthroid or levothyroxine, certain things like excess soy or fiber can interfere with absorption, as well as iron supplements, calcium supplements and aluminum hydroxide which is found in some antacids. Also cholestyramine, which is used to treat high levels of cholesterol in the blood. So the best thing to do is take them on an empty stomach and at the same time everyday, unless otherwise directed by your doctor or other healthcare provider.

10. You may also be suffering from a condition called adrenal fatigue which has many of the same symptoms of hypothyroid. The two glands usually work together to produce energy. So be sure to ask your doctor about that, especially if you’re a “type A” stressed out person. Usually if one’s effected the other is as well or one could be masking the other.

Be prepared when you see your doctor!

Lets face it, many times doctors are extremely busy and if you don’t take care or due diligence in your own health, what makes you think anyone else is? Doctors can only do so much and many times they need you to do some homework to help them diagnose your condition. Would you go to a financial advisor without a plan and say “hey, make me more money”. They may end up costing you more money! Same thing applies to your doctor. Keep a dairy of how many calories you’re eating for several weeks before your appointment. Write down your starting weight any symptoms you have and when they started? How severe are they? What seems to improve them or make them worse? A list of the supplements you’re taking and medications. The more the doctor knows the less likely you will waste time with un-necessary tests or requests.

For example, I had a client whose blood levels of TSH were within the normal range but low and she was putting on weight but the doctor would not increase her thyroid, because she was “within the range”, which is huge. Do you blame the doctor. He/she had nothing to go on other than weight gain with no proof to back up what she claimed she was eating or how much she was exercising.
I had her write down her exercise routine for six weeks as well as logging her calories meticulously on a web site. She went back to the doctor armed with this information. He increased her dosage based on the information she gave him and lost the weight she gained and feels much better. A good web site I use for logging calories is called www.myfitnesspal.com.

Blood tests:

Before I begin it’s important to remember other deficiencies caused by diet and stress that possibly are effecting your energy levels could be low vitamin B12 and low vitamin D. These two are very common deficiencies and should be tested as well to rule them out.

Once you have a blood test, don’t accept the doctors phone call stating, “your in the normal range” and forget about your thyroid concerns. Ask for the test results and keep a record of them. If you can also show that over the years your thyroid has hit the skids dramatically, even though your with the normal range, isn’t that more ammo for you to discuss with the doctor?

A high TSH level is indicative of a slow thyroid and as of 2003, the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologist has changed the recommendation for what is a normal range for TSH levels. It went from 0.05 > 5.5 to a smaller range of 0.3 > 3.0. So be sure your doctor is aware of current information as well. Some doctors disagree with the change but it is important you mention it.

I get blood work done one time a year and thyroid hormone levels are one of them. Be sure your doctor doesn’t only test your TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone). That actually is testing your pituitary, which may be having issues. Mention that you also want your T4 and Free T3 tested (not “Total T3”) These additions will provide a more complete and accurate measure. Another good blood test is thyrotropin-releasing hormone stimulation test. This is also used to determine borderline cases as well. There are many types of thyroid tests out there and the ones I mentioned are a good start. I recommend listening to what your doctor tells you to do. He or she will respect you far more though as a patient if you are proactive with your health. Remember, you and your doctor are a team. Together you can come up with a game plan for any concerns you may have, just be informed.

Natural ways to aid your thyroid:

1. Some of the first steps in taking care of your thyroid is to eat a balanced diet containing lots of fruits and vegetables. A good addition to your diet is sea vegetables. They are very rich in iodine. A good one is Nori, which is what is used to wrap sushi.

2. Lean meat like chicken, turkey and fish as well as egg whites, will provide you with the required amounts of protein that include the amino acid tyrosine.

3. The best way to get enough selenium is to incorporate Brazil nuts into your diet. You don’t need many, maybe 5 or 6 tops. So be mindful of your calorie intake. Asparagus is good to.

4. That brings us to healthy fats. If your diet does not have enough fat in it, the body will save fat, because it saves what it doesn’t get! That doesn’t mean to load up on it either but things like coconut oil, olive oil, fish oil, flaxseeds, walnuts, almonds and my favorite avocado’s, (not guacamole either) are great choice’s in keeping your metabolism running it’s best. Incidentally avocados are especially good for thyroid health.

5. Eliminate sugar. Not only is it bad for the immune system it causes a spike in insulin who’s main function is to lower blood sugar at all costs. The easiest way to do that is by making fat. Most foods containing sugar are empty calories as well and can limit all the important nutrients your thyroid gland needs.

6. Watch out for Goitrogenic substances. These are substances that interfere with the thyroid glands uptake of iodine and can inhibit its function. They are certain chemicals, drugs and foods. The list is way too long but I will provide you with a link to them. Click on the word above.

7. Eating smaller more frequent meals tells your thyroid to keep burning because food is plentiful. In the old days we didn’t have Costco and Jewel so are bodies became very good at anticipating starvation subsequently making us really good at storing fat. Eating smaller more frequent meals can be a good kick start to a sluggish metabolism that has been abused for years with alcohol, fried foods, sugar and stress.

8. Fiber is good because it helps with one of the most common side effects of a slow thyroid, constipation. In general fiber is also good for digestion and removing toxins from our bodies. These toxins that sit in our bodies from low fiber diets can be toxic over time and cause a host of secondary ailments. Word to the wise, be sure to drink a lot of water if your eating fiber as water is what helps move the fiber through…if you know what I mean ☺

9. A nice cold shower also stimulates thyroid production. What I do when I’m finished showering is turn the water to a slow tricle and run it over my knees or which ever body part is aching or causing you pain. It’s much faster and goes deeper than sitting with ice on it. After about 1 minute on each knee I do a 5-6 quick whole body circles under the cold water and that should do it.

10. Last but certainly not least and in my opinion the most important is…drum roll…EXERCISE. You need about 20-30 mins 3x a week to start and going up from there is even better. I suggest hiring a good personal trainer to make sure it’s safe and effective as well as a productive in the shortest amount of time. I know a good one John Turk :-)

Remember the information contained above is for informational purposes and in no way should be taken over the advise of your doctor or other healthcare provider or nutritionist. Do your own research and consult with your doctor especially if you are already taking medication or under a doctors care.

All the best and hope that helped.

John

Category: Nutrition, Supplements

How important is exercise to your health?

Jul 18 2020

Many people think that exercise is a pain in the butt and in some cases after a hard set of squats it literally is. I just wanted to take the time to remind people out there why it’s important.

My client said to me the other day that his heart rate “only” improved fifteen beats per minute since he started exercising a few weeks ago, from 95 BPM to 80 BPM. I answered him…only. Lets take a closer look at that according to the math and you may see “only fifteen BPM” in a different way.

Say a person begins a simple personal exercise program of jogging for 20-30 mins 3x a week. That person would end up losing a few pounds but more importantly, their heart rate would improve at rest from ninety BPM to seventy five BPM in most cases (as they say “your mileage may vary”). So lets take a quick look at how saving your heart fifteen beats per minute effects  the number of beats your heart will save over time.

15 beats saved in 1 minute.

In one hour your heart will save 900 beats.

In twenty four hours your heart will save 21,600 beats .

In one week your heart will save 151,200 beats.

In one month your heart will save 604,800 beats.

In a year your heart will save 7,257,600 beats.

In five years, fifteen beats a minute less, will save your heart 36,288,000 beats .

In ten years, fifteen beats a minute less, will save your heart 72,576,000 beats.

In twenty years, fifteen beats a minute less, will save your heart 145,152,000 beats!

That is a lot of beats your heart has saved. Less work equates to a longer healthier life. There are people that change their life completely around and save thirty, even forty BPM! Can you see why exercise is the best tool for anti-aging.

Heart rate is also used to predict many other things like what training heart rate is best for your fitness goals. Many people have no clue how to determine what heart rate training zone is the best to burn fat, improve endurance, improve anaerobic capacity and improve overall health. Many people use a formula called Karvonen, which you can learn more about doing a google search. This formula helps determine percentages of your exercise heart rate that are used to achieve specific fitness related goals, such as:

40-50% -Healthy life style

50-75% -Burn fat

75-85% -Improve endurance

85-95% -Improve Anaerobic capacity

If math is not your thing, my web site has a calculator that does all that for you. On my site, there are other calculators which are useful to determine other fitness related markers. Just hover over the “calculators” tab at the top.

If those beats per minute were turned into dollars made, you would all be exercising right? So what’s stopping you? Your health is the most important thing next to God and your family.

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Lets look at a scenario: You feel a little chest pain and go to the doctor thinking you are experiencing heartburn and you’ll get some Prevacid and call it a day. You’ve waited a long time to go because you were so busy. Now the doctor finds your blood pressure is high and sends you for some tests. When the tests come back they confirm something you thought only happens to excessively overweight people and not you. You need open heart surgery!

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I don’t know about you but just the thought of that scenario makes that 20-minute treadmill work sound a lot better. Combine that with laying off the extra cheesy nacho’s and beer during the ball game or after shopping with the girls drinking Cosmo’s or wine. I hope that never happens to any of you.

Here are 5 other benefits of exercise. I could name about 50 but I picked these:

  • Improved circulation to all organs!!! Did you get that guys over 40.
  • Improved brain function and memory, meaning we can remember what our spouse said to us 10 mins. ago. Ladies we know you remember things from 20 years ago so imagine what that means guys. They’ll be like elephants and never forget.
  • More muscle tissue means a higher metabolism at rest but it does not mean more beer or wine.
  • Better skin from sweating, you have to shower though after the workout.
  • Stronger bones, which means better posture and more active life style into our golden years.

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Something to try on your own. I know we all love to “tie one over” once in a while but people do not realize how much alcohol affects the heart. So the next time you know your going to go out and pour down a few pints try this. Before drinking, sit and relax in a chair for 5 mins and then take your heart rate for a minute. Write it down. After you start drinking take your pulse when you’re done. I know some of you may be too blasted to even do that but even after two to three drinks take your pulse again. Your heart rate will increase from 15-25 beats per minute just sitting there.

Hope that helped. God bless and remember to workout. If not, ignore your health…it will go away.

 

Blessings- John

Category: General Info

Guys and girls…raise testosterone levels naturally.

Jul 4 2020

So you’re 40 years old and you’re in the gym hitting the weights hard and eating right. A few months goes by and you’re not seeing results. You feel tired, weak, you have no energy and the last time you saw your “soldier solute” was when you had to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night. I think you get the “point”. You may be suffering from “Low T”.

This subject is nothing new and is the latest topic for guys trying to put more lead in their pencil. Sorry I just can’t resist all the adjectives.

At any rate, it’s probably a good idea to have your “T” levels checked by your doctor, which is done through a simple blood test. You may find that one simple pellet or cream is all it takes to get your MoJo back. At any rate, it’s time to see what it is in your life that may be effecting the your “lead levels”…..so to speak.

Ladies don’t be fooled. You need testosterone as well, but the only difference is you require much lower levels than men but it is still an important part of your well being. Like having trouble losing those last few pounds, trying to squeeze into an old outfit or you just don’t know why you’re always tired? I put together a list of what I found are the biggest culprits to lowering testosterone.

Remember to always check with your doctor and don’t just take my word for it. Low T might be related to an underlying medical condition such as a tumor or disease. You can also research much of this information as well. Keep in mind not just people over 40 suffer from low T. Your lifestyle and stress levels or disease can determine it as well.

#1
I recommend that you stay away from high-protein, low-fat diets, especially if you’re doing a lot of endurance related activities like running, cycling or swimming. Not enough carbs can create a condition called ketosis which is good for VERY short term weight loss, however, over longer periods of time it is extremely bad for testosterone levels as well as your overall health. The kidneys reabsorb some testosterone from the blood but in the presence of ketones they lose out and it’s excreted.

#2
Eat a diet rich in monounsaturated fats. This has been known to help the body make hormones like testosterone. Foods high in Mono unsats are walnuts, avocados and almonds as well as flax seeds and fish oils.
“Incidently “T” is made up of cholesterol. So, the rumors about eating a whole egg once in a while are true, only IF you do not suffer from elevated cholesterol levels.
Again ask your Doc.”
#3
Starvation is a testosterone killer! To stay lean, while still maintaining optimal testosterone levels, I recommend eating smaller meals more frequently throughout the day. In order to create testosterone, your body needs an adequate supply of calories. (about 11 per pound of lean body weight) This is why so many good meal plans only implement 1-2 pounds of weight loss per week. When calories are too low (or if you starve yourself) the metabolism slows down. This, in turn, slows down testosterone production, to conserve energy. Before you know it, your hard earned muscle is wasted and used as energy to supply amino acids for glycogen through a process called Gluconeogenesis.

#4
It is important to be sure that you are getting enough sleep. This is imperative for testosterone production. The body’s circadian rhythms are extremely important and they have a direct effect on your testosterone levels. Most males are very familiar with certain effects of those elevated testosterone levels that usually occur in the morning, which is when “T” levels are highest. I won’t go there I promise.

#5
Try having sex more often (once a day is good). Many of our lifestyles effect us especially with work, kids, and stress. This makes having sex fall low on the priority list. Having frequent erections will increase the amount of testosterone in your bloodstream naturally. Sexual arousal sends messages to the brain and the pituitary gland in turn releases a chemical called LH- this stimulates “Big Jim and the twins” to make testosterone. (Need I say more?)

#6
Alcohol is bad because it upsets the balance of the liver. The liver has to work extra hard to produce enzymes to breakdown the alcohol. The same enzymes that help breakdown alcohol are also required for testosterone production. In the presence of alcohol, these enzymes, (located in the testes for testosterone production) are diverted from the testes to help break down alcohol. Makes it easier to pass on that whiskey and coke or a “high ball”.

#7
Over training is a sure fire way to lower your testosterone levels. When the body is under stress, it secretes cortisol, which competes with testosterone. This process occurs when we over train. Signs of over training are: sore joints, sleep problems, loss of appetite and an overall feeling of being tired and run down. So what is better, Under training or over training? Under training, because you get zero progress. Over training- you get negative progress. So what is a guy to do? Call a good personal trainer like me ☺

#8
Lift weights! It is crucial to choose exercises that use more than one joint at a time. For example, the best three moves you can do are squats, bench presses and dead lifts. The reason for this is, these movements require large amounts of energy, which in turn create large levels of blood lactate in a short period of time. These high lactate levels (that are not constant but sporadic) stimulate testosterone production! However, it is important to keep in mind that lifting too hard and too long can shift the body into cortisol production—- and we already know that is something we want to avoid.

So what I recommend is: lifting weights for no more than 1 hour a day. Perform at least three sets of 6-15 repetitions on each exercise and 10-15 total sets of heavy or moderate weights every day and train one body part per week per day. Ladies, the heavy weights are especially important for you, to prevent bone loss as you age and to keep the loss of female hormones to a minimum. We cannot beat natural decline, but we can stave it off and slow it down. When you lift weights your body is in an “anabolic” state. Meaning it’s focused on building up. When we don’t lift weights our bodies go into a catabolic state. This process catabolic state speeds up as we age and starts after age thirty.

#9
As far as natural supplements, I don’t believe in any of the millions of gimmicks out there that claim to increase testosterone and give you a sex drive as well as a manhood rivaling a porn star. However, if you’re a gambling man, there is one that many people claim works for them. It’s called Tribulus Terrestris. Another highly recommended supplement is Zinc. A natural food source is Oysters. They are loaded with Zinc, which helps natural testosterone production. So how does one determine if they are zinc deficient?Try this test:

#10
Testosterone Testing is another important step in the process. Be sure you are not only tested for your total free testosterone but also your bound testosterone. There is a substance called Sex hormone binding globulin that takes a “free ride” on your precious boner builder and renders it inactive. So even if you have high levels of testosterone, you may be “all bound up.” Check out this web site for more info on testosterone:

Good luck and play hard! Whoops… I did it again :-)

Category: Nutrition, Supplements

Are feeling Fatigued?

Jun 24 2020

Many people muster up the courage to enter a gym for the first time or they are trying to get back on track after years of inactivity. What ever the case, did you ever feel that you just don’t have the energy or strength to continue on? Do you just give up and chalk up your fatigue to aging? Partying? or that you- “just don’t have it in you anymore”? Think again, because fatigue many times has an excuse and we continue to live with it thinking there are no options.

I am a firm believer that exercise is the fountain of youth. Those of you who think diet is more important must realize that diet will help us achieve greater success but in the big picture, movement is life and if I had to pick which is more important, in my opinion it’s exercise. keep in mind though without proper nutrition you may not be able to exercise at your highest level and even though you make it through a workout many times you’re worse off when you’re done. Tired, achey, irritable and just plain exhausted. This is where you need to step back and take a long hard look at your diet. Small adjustments in our diet or supplementation program can make all the difference.

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So how can you tell if your lacking certain nutrients that could be ruining your gym “mojo”?
Energy is dependent on two main things in general; energy in the form of ATP which is made from glucose (food) and the bodies ability to utilize that energy i.e.. vitamins and minerals.

The best place to get vitamins and minerals which are utilized to help convert food into energy is from fruits and vegetables. You don’t even need large amounts. Studies have shown that even if you eat a diet that has more than adequate amounts of calories, you still could be deficient in many vitamins and minerals and feel tired and lethargic, especially if those calories are not the right ones. Combine that with high levels of saturated fats which clog the arteries and now you have a limited ability to transport those needed nutrients.

So how does one determine if there is an underlying cause to your fatigue? See your doctor and get a blood test before starting your exercise program, so they can evaluate what may be causing your low mojo. It could be a simple fix like adding vitamin D to your diet or a b-complex vitamin or Co-Q10 which helps the heart produce energy: NOTE: If you are on cholesterol lowering statin drugs they deplete your body of Co-Q10 and you should be taking supplemental Co-Q10. If you are not, discuss that with your doctor. Don’t just take it based on what I’m saying here. You are a team with your physician.

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Over the years as a personal trainer, many of my clients have come to me with energy related problems and the cause was discovered through a simple blood test and was corrected. From my past experience as a personal trainer working with hundreds of people, I’ve compiled a list of key markers in the blood that may be the culprit for your fatigue. These are suggestions and are by no means meant for anyone to be self diagnosing themselves. I am providing this for informational purposes. It’s always best to seek your doctors approval before starting an exercise program and Knowing certain things before your doctor visit will help you be more prepared when you do begin. I would hate to see someone suffer for years when the fix could be a simple one. Also, your fatigue could be a more serious sign of an under lying medical problem that needs immediate attention.

CBC’s– Complete blood cell count (Be sure it includes a cholesterol, liver and Kidney panel)

Vitamin D levels– Bones / Mood and immune function

TSH– Thyroid stimulating hormone

T3– (He or she will tell you it doesn’t need to be done but insist on doing it!!!)

C-Reactive protein– Detects inflammation

Sed rate– Indicator of inflammation and autoimmune disease

Calcium levels– Muscle contraction / Bone density

B12– Energy production

Cortisol– Adrenal gland function and belly fat

Ferritin– Detects Anemia and may indicate hypothyroidism if its low. Also could identify Vit C deficiency which effects healing.

Total iron– energy

Hemoglobin– Goes with Iron, shows body’s ability to carry oxygen.

Potassium– Heart muscle health

Homocycteine– Good indicator of possible heart disease and Folic acid can lower it.

If anyone is interested I’m available for online personal training. If you are interested in getting nutritional counseling as well I provide that to.

All the best

John Turk

Category: Nutrition, Supplements

Ladies, are you having knee pain?

Jun 15 2020

Over the years as a personal trainer, I have noticed a large majority of my female clients tend to complain of lower back and knee problems. Besides the obvious anatomical reasons such as wider hips, I always felt other factors contributed to the aches and pains. Having wider hips forces the femur to angle inward, placing stress on the medial aspect of the knee, which can cause knee problems. A recent study has revealed that wearing high heels may exacerbate this structural imbalance.

Danielle Barkema, a Kinesiology Graduate at Iowa State University, studied the effects of women wearing high heeled shoes. The study looked at the how wearing shoes with varying heel heights, may contribute to knee osteoarthritis and joint degeneration over time.

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Since women begin wearing high heels at a very young age, test subjects were studied who wear high heels for at least two days a week. 15 women were studied using flat shoes, 2″ heels and 3.5″ heels. Barkema measured the forces on the knee joint and the shock that travels up the leg during the heel strike phase of walking. What she found was: as heel height increases, so does the compression on the medial or inside aspect of the knee. She measured the effects using camera’s, sensors, accelerometers and a force platform. Her findings show that over time, wearing high heels even two days a week and greater than 2″ can greatly contribute to a degeneration of the knee joint and lead to osteoarthritis.

In addition, wearing heels over 2″ in height also effects the individuals walking pattern, subsequently changing the position of the ankle, knee, hip and trunk. This altered walking pattern may lead to lower back problems as well.

If you’re having knee problems you may want to see your doctor or physical therapist.

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knee pain from high heels

Category: Corrective Exercise

Instant muscle growth

Dec 5 2015

Every now then if you feel like getting an incredible pump try this routine. I will use barbell curls as an example:
Choose a weight you can do for 30 reps straight:
Do 1 rep, rest 3 secs
Do 2 reps, rest 3 secs
Do 3 reps, rest 3 secs
Do 4 reps, rest 3 secs
Do 5 reps, rest 3 secs
Do 6 reps, rest 3 secs
Do 7 reps, rest 3 secs
Do 8 reps, rest 3 secs
Do 9 reps, rest 3 secs
Do 10 reps, rest 1:00 minute
Then do it again in reverse, starting at 10 reps and go down to one. Your arms will be screaming.

As always, check with your doctor before starting an exercise program. This routine is NOT for a beginner!!

Category: Bodybuilding, Strength

Want to get stronger?

Oct 11 2015

You walk into the gym and you see a guy lifting a ridiculous amount of weight that you can’t imagine lifting. What’s even more impressive, is that he appears to weigh only 150lbs! So is he a genetic freak? Genetics does play a part in gaining strength, however to develop amazing strength your muscle size is not the key ingredient. Your nervous system is. That is how fast your body can fire it’s motor neurons to move that heavy weight and how efficiently those neurons can do it.

So if you want to be strong you have to lift very heavy weight. Not 12 reps, 10 reps, 8 reps or even 5 reps. You must stay in the rep range of 2-4 with an occasional maximal effort of one rep every couple weeks. My rule of thumb, if you can do five reps at any given weight and your training for strength, you need to add some pounds bringing your reps back down to two.
It’s important to gradually work your way up to the weight that you will eventually lift in the 2-4 rep range and don’t jump into it.

For example: I can lift 120b dumbbell’s on the bench press for 4 reps. This is what I will do:
1) 30DB x 15
– rest 1:00
2) 55DB x 6
– rest 1:00
3) 80DB x 3
– rest 1:30
4) 100DB x 2
-rest 3:00
5) 120 x 4
-Rest 3:00
6) 120 x 3 = After my third rep I hold the dumbbells in the locked out position for 30 seconds.
-Done

FYI- I work my chest 3x a week Monday-Wednesday-Friday. Monday I do the above routine. Wednesday I will do push ups in the same fashion and friday I will do dips in the same fashion or if I’m tired on any of my chest days, I will do light cable fly’s or skip chest all together that day.

Remember, listen to your body it will tell you if it’s tired and sore. If at any time you feel something doesn’t seem right or you feel a muscle was “tweaked” after doing a set. I would stop there and call it a day. Never try to work through aches or pains. They are signals from your body saying it had enough or needs more rest.

Always check with your doctor before beginning any exercise routine or seek guidance from a qualified trainer to prevent injury, over training or wasting your time not knowing what or how to do it.

Category: Strength

The best way to get lean and ripped! Eat like a diabetic.

Jul 21 2015

Please note before reading this. What I have outlined here is for informational purposes so the reader can be more informed and not self diagnose themselves. Also it is intended for healthy adults and in no way to be taken over the advise of your doctor or other healthcare provider. Remember be safe and consult with your physician especially if you are under their care.

It’s 11:55am and I’m watching every second on the clock tick away as the teacher talks away, like scene from Charlie Brown. For a 9-year-old boy, lunchtime was the highlight of my day. We had an hour break and I was a 10-minute walk from home. Ten minutes too long when it meant cutting into my precious time spent at the local convenient store deciding which sugary delight I would spend my paper route money on. Would it be Red Hot dog gum? Charleston Chew? Kit Kat? Or a Three Musketeers bar? If I had enough money I would buy them all and eat it in less five minutes.
“So Red Hot dog gum it is.”
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I remember buying a pack of thirty. By the time I returned to school I had a red ring around my mouth compelling people to wonder what exactly happened on my “lunch break”.

Fortunately for me, my little candy run was a 2.5-mile round trip and most of the sugar I’d eat would get me too and from the store. It was good thing my parents didn’t buy much junk food either. I grew up on yogurt, rice, eggs, meat, dairy and a few vegetables here and there. If I had my way, every day would have been Halloween.

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I remember one of my fellow classmates always smelling like he had alcohol on his breathe and I would ask him why he “stunk” and he said, “because I’m a diabetic”. What the heck is that I would ask? I remember him sticking his fingers with pins quite often but most of the time he was excused from class to go to the nurse’s office for his injections. I use too think, “Wow, he’s so lucky he gets out of class”. When I look back, I’m glad I never got my wish. One time I remember Henry had passed out in school and none of us knew what the heck was going on but we all had an idea it was pretty serious.

Many people often wonder what’s the secret to getting a super lean body. It all boils down to one thing. Blood sugar control! If maintained properly and combined with exercise, we can all have the body of a Greek god. However, if left unchecked, blood sugar problems can be a person’s worst nightmare in the form of diabetes and body fat. Diabetes requires constant attention, is unpleasant, inconvenient, uncomfortable and most of all life changing and life threatening. The funny thing, type II diabetes is the most preventable of all debilitating diseases. If the diabetic plays the sugar game right, they can have a phenomenal body and maintain great health. Follow a diabetic around for a day and you would think twice about those Krispy Kreme donuts!

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The number of diabetes cases per year is increasing at an alarming rate, especially type II or adult onset diabetes. Type II makes up approximately 90% of all the cases of diabetes, which is usually caused by excessive weight gain. If your body mass index (BMI) is 30 or higher you are at risk. Here’s a link to see where yours is. You will need a tape measure handy.
Type II is preventable and can be managed well with diet. However, if left unchecked for too long the individual will require regular injections of insulin several times a day.

In the past it normally affected over weight adults age forty and up, but that’s not the case any more. With the amount of processed foods, saturated fats and high fructose corn syrup children are consuming, as well as limited exercise from the computer generation, that age has now been lowered to include teens and in rare cases adolescence.

The other form of diabetes is type I, which usually effects adolescents and requires insulin injections from the onset. In children it’s caused by an autoimmune disorder in which the bodies immune system attacks and destroys the beta cells in the pancreas, which are responsible for producing insulin. Exactly why this happens is unknown but some researchers believe there may be an environmental link like pollution, chemicals or other outside influences like severe viral infections and food sensitivity. So with type I, your body cannot make insulin and with type II the insulin you have becomes insufficient from years of eating poorly. When too many sugary foods are eaten your body keeps producing insulin and eventually it begins to lose its effect overtime and before you know it you’re a type II diabetic.

So why is glucose management so important? First off, it’s important to know that most tissues in the body can convert non-carbohydrate sources (Fat and protein) into useable energy or glucose, through a process called gluconeogenesis. There are only two tissues in the body that are independent from insulin and do not perform gluconeogenesis. They are the brain and Red blood cells. That’s why blood sugar has life or death consequences and is not to be taken lightly.
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So lets get back to getting ripped and the diabetic. First and foremost, I can’t stress how important exercise is. There’s a phrase that rings so true which is, “movement is life” and without it -you will die!!! I don’t care if you eat the best food in the world 24/7, if you lay around all day eventually your body will breakdown and fail. Think of this way, when you exercise your body is continually thinking about getting better, an anabolic state. When you don’t exercise your body shifts to breaking down or becoming a catabolic state and you guessed it- aging.

Now I’m not saying diet isn’t important by all means it is, but exercise will help your body manage your blood sugar when your insulin has become insufficient from years of “Red Hots”… so to speak. In addition, the mitochondria (the power house of the cell) in your muscles becomes more efficient at burning energy and they too will take a load off that blood glucose level your trying ever so hard to keep at or under 100. Glucose is stored in the liver as glycogen as well as skeletal muscle. Extra muscle tissue means the body is capable of storing more glucose/ glycogen in the form of glycogen. Get it??

So what does that mean, more muscle better blood sugar management at rest. Combine that with a low glycemic diet consisting of vegetables, very lean meats like skinless boneless chicken breast, fish, turkey and eggs as well as good fats consisting of olives, avocados, walnuts, brazil nuts, almonds and seeds like Hemp, Chia and Sun flower. I can almost guarantee your type II diabetes over time will be gone and those abs will start peeking through in no time! How can I say that? Because I’ve seen it happen.
Case in point;
One of my clients, a great guy named Jim, came to me on the verge of diabetes. He had was what termed pre-diabetes. That meant his fasting blood sugar levels were from 100-125mg/dl. The ironic aspect of it all is that Jim was a pharmaceutical sales rep at the time and one of the drugs he sold was used to help manage diabetes. Over time Jim went from 250lbs down to a 175lb lean, mean fighting machine, full of chicken and vegetables. Jim and I were discussing how his new lifestyle prevented his diabetes and he is now in excellent physical health. His journey became a life altering and Jim no longer sells his diabetes medication. He feels it’s a preventable and curable disease and he no longer feels right having people use it.

So what can one do to start a new healthy life style on their way to curing their type II diabetes and having abs like granite? I won’t go into the debilitating health consequences this disease has because most people reading this already know. So I want to make my focus on how to manage it and prevent it with diet and how this way of eating can help you get in the best shape of your life as well as manage your diabetes better.
Below I have outlined the keys to success:

1) Exercise:
Your exercise routine should consist of at least forty-minutes of resistance exercise performed 3-4 days a week minimum. It should be resistance training combined with high intensity interval cardio respiratory work lasting 15-20 mins total. This type of workout needs detailed explaining, so I think it would be worth the investment to hire a good personal trainer and get you started.

2) Nutrition:
The number one goal with nutrition is to allow your body to become insulin sensitive again. That means minimizing the amount of sugar that goes into your body that causes the largest increase in insulin production. Right now if you’re a Type II diabetic you probably have insulin running through your system but your bodies receptors have been switched off so to speak. Your goal is to turn them back on so they can become sensitive to insulin again.

So First and foremost EVERY diabetic or fitness enthusiast needs to become familiar with the Glycemic index of food. A number that every food is given in relation to how fast it turns into sugar in the blood stream. The numbers go from 0-100; table sugar and white bread are 100 as well as a white potato. Shoot for numbers below 50 in everything you eat. How do you do that? Glycemic index

Another important aspect is the Glycemic load of the food your eating or GL. The GI (Glycemic index) is the quality and Glycemic load or GL is the amount. Your GL is calculated by taking the foods Glycemic index and multiplying it by the number of carbohydrate grams in the serving size you’re having. Then dividing that number by 100 and you now have your Glycemic load. 50GI x 24gms serv.= 1200 / 100= 12 GL

If you are a type II diabetic or trying to get lean your GL per meal should not exceed 15 if your under 200lbs and 20 if your over 200lbs. Obviously if the food you’re eating has a GI lower than 50 you can eat more carbs per day.
I am also a firm believer that if you are a type II diabetic certain foods, additives and circumstances can also be detrimental to your weight loss and healing. They are:

Dairy products:
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In adults, dairy products can cause a person to over produce mucous in the intestines. This in turn can “gum up” the digestive tract causing problems with nutrient absorption. Dairy also contains lactose, which in many cases people are intolerant too. Not actually allergic but intolerant and they don’t even know it. Does your nose always run? Do you have gas or bloating? Is your mind always foggy? These are some of the signs of food intolerance. Intolerance seems so miniscule but in all actuality it’s like a “dripping faucet” to your immune system, which eventually weakens your entire body leaving you susceptible to other ailments. Your liver goes on overdrive trying to cleanse the body and forgets doing the less important jobs like burning fat.
Also another possible underlying theory by researchers is that milk may contribute to type I diabetes in adolescence. Cows milk contains a protein called bovine serum albumin and bovine insulin. The difference between human insulin and bovine insulin found in cow’s milk is very slight; only three amino acids make them distinct from one another. If the body develops an immune response to bovine insulin found in cows milk it may also develop and immune response by creating anti-bodies to your own insulin. The child’s own immune system then attacks its beta cells in the pancreas, which produce insulin subsequently causing diabetes.

Gluten:
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This is the major protein component in wheat, rye and barley. Like dairy, gluten can also trigger an immune response from your own body to attack itself. When this happens a person has a disease called Celiac. Studies show that kids with celiac disease are at a higher risk of developing type I diabetes. Many people are gluten intolerant (not allergic) and don’t even realize it. Like the dairy scenario, this low level assault on your stomach can wreak havoc on your immune system over time and weaken it.

Fruits:
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I believe fruit should be limited to only after your workout, if you must have it at all. Especially one’s like watermelon, cantaloupe and honeydew. They too have a higher than normal glycemic index. If you must eat fruit stick to Berries of any kind – cranberries, blueberries, raspberries etc. or peaches, apples, plums, cherries and nectarines. These fruits are also high in what are called “Flavonoids” which help battle the complications diabetes has on the vascular system and retina of the eyes.

Caffeine:
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Caffeine is classified as a drug and the problem with that is many times coffee or tea drinkers over do it. If you are a diabetic you are probably experiencing some mild form of kidney or cardiac issues, especially in regards to blood pressure. Too much caffeine amping up your heart when it is already taxed and you may develop a case of Atrial fibrillation. A life threatening irregular heartbeat that can cause a stroke. What a horrible way to spend the rest of your life.

Artificial sweeteners:
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As much as you think your doing yourself a favor by loading up on one of the three colors of the artificial rainbow, your actually doing yourself far more harm than good. First and foremost artificial sweeteners are chemicals and they cause the liver stress, the organ most important in fat utilization. They also trick the body into thinking its getting sugar. But is it really the magician we think it is? Artificial sweeteners actually do have calories in them. If a food substitute has less than 1 calorie per serving they can call it sugar free or calorie free. So what some of these companies do is make the serving size smaller so it fits the qualifications of calorie or sugar free. In addition, your body learns to load up sweet alternatives “tricking” it into thinking sweets are ok so your body will crave them more even though your not consuming sugar. What a tease!!!!!

Pregnancy:
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Ladies beware, there is a form of diabetes that makes up about 4% of the cases and it’s called gestational diabetes and it occurs more frequently in African American women, Hispanic, and American Indian females. This is usually caused by excessive weight gain during pregnancy.
So “hot mama’s” it’s a good idea to drop the mentality that you are “eating for two” when you’re pregnant! You really only need about 350 extra calories a day to sustain a growing fetus. Remember, babies come out weighing only 7-11lbs. Hardly enough to claim your eating for two.
Another good practice is to breast feed your babies. This helps them get all the vital nutrients and antibodies their growing little systems need. Most of a baby’s immune system develops in the stomach, which is why breast milk is so important. It provides many of the immune properties to help fight off bacterial and intestinal viral infections as well reducing the risk of food allergies.

Nitrates:
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Nitrates keep food from spoiling and are found in cured meats like beef jerky, hot dogs and bacon. If you look on most cured meat packages you will see vitamin C has been added. This helps prevent the formation of nitrosamines, which are known to cause diabetes in animals. The USDA actually requires the addition of vitamin C in all processed meat products.
Nitrates are also found in areas where there is a lot of farming due to the run off of fertilizer, which has a high nitrate concentration. So if you are in a farming area water contamination is something you should be aware of.
The take away. Don’t feed your kids these foods and be sure to have a good water filtration system in your home.

Stress:
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It’s important to keep your stress levels low. When you get stressed out your adrenal glands secrete adrenalin along with cortisol which helps raise blood sugar for your fight or flight response. Not good for a diabetic or someone trying to lose body fat. For the fitness enthusiast high blood sugar means the fat making machine “insulin” has been turned on. Cortisol also makes that insulin less effective, meaning more has to be secreted.
Stress also depletes the bodies B-vitamins, which are vital for glucose metabolism and also for helping the effects of nerve damage from diabetes.

So now that I have stripped you of your food identity what exactly can one do?
In the beginning, I would avoid all grains and certain root vegetables such as white potatoes, parsnips and beets. They have a relatively high glycemic index. Add lean meats as stated above as well as nuts and seeds and other good fats like avocados, olives, omega three fats (EPA & DHA) and egg yolks. They all help reduce inflammation.

In general your diet should consist of foods like, beans, seeds, nuts and vegetables especially your cruciferous ones like broccoli, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts. Other good choices are any green leafy vegetables as well as asparagus and zucchini.
Certain vegetables and fruits I mentioned are vital because most contain what’s called soluble fiber. Unlike insoluble fiber, which provides bulk for our stools (So we guys can get our reading in) soluble fiber helps manage blood sugar by slowing digestion, subsequently sugar is not absorbed as fast into the blood stream. Soluble fiber also makes tissues (vital for storage of glycogen such as muscle and the liver) more sensitive to insulin. Your total daily fiber intake should be between 20-45 grms per day.
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Note: If you are having trouble adding fiber to your diet a good supplemental version of soluble fiber is one called glucomannan. When taken with water it forms a gel like substance in the intestines and slows absorption of sugar. Most health food stores carry it and it’s great for after meal glucose management.

So what about Supplements?
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I don’t believe in using supplements much but in the case of diabetics and blood glucose management it is an important tool in fighting the disease as well as staying lean. I have purposely left out dosing information and timing because It’s a good idea to seek help from a good naturopathic doctor who can lay out an entire program for you. What I am providing below is for informational purposes so you know what questions to ask the doctor when you see them.

Chromium– it comes in two forms- picolinate and nicotinate, a niacin based version. Without chromium the action of insulin is blocked, subsequently raising your sugar levels. This is especially important in persons with a chromium deficiency.
The niacin or nicotinate version is believed to be the better one because together with chromium they make up what’s called the GTF or glucose tolerance factor.

Vitamin C– Insulin helps carry vitamin C into cells. Bad insulin means bad vitamin C absorption- cough…cough!!!

Magnesium– Studies have shown that most diabetics are deficient in magnesium as well as a large number of the general population. Diabetics many times suffer from stiff muscles and joints as well. Magnesium relaxes muscles as well as your mind. It is a very important aspect of stress management and it also helps getting a good nights rest.

Zinc– Forms part of the protective process of the pancreas’ beta cells and is involved in almost all aspects of insulin metabolism. It’s part of more enzymatic reactions in the body than any other mineral and listen up guys, it also helps with testosterone production…Whoa!!!!

American Ginseng root– Considered by most authorities to be best herbal supplement at lowering glucose levels after a meal. Bam..need I say more?

Garlic– Not only is garlic great at glucose management but it is also beneficial for an already taxed immune system from diabetes or too much sugar in the diet, which also weakens the immune system.

Vitamin D– Vitamin D is vital in the development of the immune system. Studies have shown that many times children with diabetes have low levels of vitamin D. Adequate levels of Vitamin D during pregnancy and childhood may reduce the risk autoimmune conditions that attack the beta cells. Also, vitamin D is actually classified as a hormone and is crucial for overall health and wellness. If you live in a cold climate or don’t get much sun have your vitamin D levels checked.

Alpha lipoic acid– What’s unique about ALA is that unlike other anti-oxidants, which are either fat soluble or water soluble, it can act on free radicals in both mediums. It also works it’s magic inside or outside the cell. Therefore, it has been termed the perfect anti-oxidant. What is amazing about this remarkable supplement is that it has proven medical benefits for reducing diabetic neuropathy. It does this by improving blood flow to the peripheral nerves and has been used in Germany for years to treat this condition! Did I also mention it improves insulin sensitivity.

So to wrap things up, here are some very important rules to follow in order to maintain that blood sugar level at a cool 100 and lose that body fat.

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1) Never, ever go more than three hours without eating! That means however many hours you are awake divide that by 3. That’s how many times a day you should be eating. Small meals spread out evenly through the day. How many calories should you eat per day? 13 calories roughly per pound of body weight. Go up or down from there.

2) If you are trying to get leaner, the slower you lose the weight (1lb a week) the more muscle tissue you will spare. Lose weight too fast and the body slows down and secretes cortisol- a demon hormone for fat loss and muscle gains.

3) No carbohydrates other than vegetables 4 hours before bed.

4) Drink plenty of water, at least 1oz per kg of body weight. This helps the kidneys function optimally and then allows the liver to burn fat more efficiently.

5) Keep your sodium levels below 2300mg. Not enough water and too much sodium are hard on the kidneys. Diabetics are already at risk for renal problems. Why make it worse.

6) Too much protein as well can be a hard on the kidneys. Some people advocate 1 gm. per pound of body weight. Most sports dieticians will advise 1.8gm per kgm. of body weight. So if you weigh 200lbs that’s 91kg x 1.8= that’s 163gms a protein a day spread out over 5-6 meals.
So Eat protein with every meal. Unless you are diagnosed with kidney problems from your diabetes.

7) Breakfast and after workout meals are extremely important and should never be skipped.

8) Exercise, exercise and more exercise.
High intensity interval training is the best for your cardio work. As far as resistance exercise do interval training. Perform 8 exercises consecutively with no rest, in the rep range of 12-15 for 4 rounds. In my opinion this is best for adding muscle and creating a vascular hard and strong look. Again hire a good personal trainer to do this. Don’t wing it; it’s complicated and too long to go into now. Do it yourself can mean just that, a do it yourself injury like a blown out shoulder, back or knee.

Ok that should do it and hopefully in a few months you will be a new person.

John Turk:
If you are interested in nutritional guidance or counseling I do provide that service via the internet as well using Skype, face time and email. I also can write up workouts with video and Skype sessions. You can reach me through my web site at the “contact” tab.

Category: Nutrition

Best Nutritionist Award

Jun 30 2015

Hey everybody, I’d just like to thank those of you who voted for me in the Kiss FM Drex Best of series. I was selected as the best Nutritionist. Thanks again for your support and I hope to see more of you keeping up your good eating habits.

John

KISS FM 103.5 Best san diego Nutritionist Award 2010

KISS FM 103.5 Best san diego Nutritionist Award 2010

Category: Nutrition

Dietary guidelines

Jun 30 2015

Many people begin a weight loss program without really knowing exactly how to eat in order to maintain muscle while losing body fat. No matter what you do while calorie restricting, everyone always loses some muscle. The key is to minimize the amount lost. Remember, the more muscle you maintain or keep the more efficient your fat furnace is at eating up those calories. Below I have outlined several important points everyone should consider when attempting to lose weight.

The following are guidelines for a normal healthy adult and in no way should be taken over the advise of your Physician, Dietician or other healthcare provider. If you have any questions or concerns please consult with a doctor before beginning any weight loss or diet program. This is for informational purposes to give clients an idea of what I do to stay in shape.

TOTAL CALORIES:
Be sure to eat 10% calories less than your maintenance calories to lose weight. This will help minimize the amount of muscle tissue lost and will be a safe and slow way to lose weight. Another thing to keep in mind is to fluctuate your daily calories, one day higher another day lower, but have a weekly goal total. Remember, the faster you lose weight, the more muscle you lose! A good rule of thumb when trying to lose weight is to eat foods that are not calorie dense. In general, Foods that have more fiber. To gain muscle eat approx.. 10% more calories per day.

GRAMS PROTEIN:
It’s important to eat protein with every meal. This will prevent your body from eating muscle tissue and will ensure you have enough available at all times to repair muscle tissue and keep your system functioning at it’s best. It will also help you feel full longer because it takes longer to digest. Note: 1/3 of the calories in a gram of protein are used up during the digestion of it. This is mostly where the term “Thermic effect” of food comes from. It is a good idea when following a resistance program to include more protein in your diet. About 1.2-1.8 grams per Kgm of body weight. (See food quality for examples of the types recommended)

MEALS SPACING:
Be sure not to go more than 3 hours without food and try to have your largest meals early in the day or before the busiest part in your daily schedule. Eating every three hours helps keep your metabolism running high. Not eating this way will slow your body down because it wants to conserve energy. It also causes a greater release of cortisol which tells your body to attack your muscles for fuel instead of fat.

BEFORE & AFTER WORKOUT MEALS: Be sure you’re doing this.
This is a crucial meal to eat and is the best time for nutrient absorption. Your body is rushing to replace the things it needs like Proteins and Carbohydrates. So it’s called the “Window of opportunity”. Right after your workout, consume simple carbs or sugars with a whey protein, which is an easily absorbing fast acting protein. The glycemic index is a good guideline to follow which is explained in the next bullet point-Food Quality. I believe sugar is probably the biggest culprit for sabotaging a persons weight loss success; however after a workout the body wants to replenish your muscles stores of sugar (Glycogen). It can do that fast with simple sugars and you will also help drive more protein into the muscle via insulin, the most anabolic hormone in the human body. The best sugars I am referring to are natural, such as pineapple, watermelon, cannelloni and other melons. Insulin is secreted in response to elevated blood glucose (sugar) to help maintain sugar homeostasis or balance. Once insulin is done replacing muscle glycogen extra calories are stored as fat! So any other time you eat sugar all you are doing is creating a FAT storing machine. Eating protein in the form of WHEY shortly after or during the sugar meal, will help provide the body with fast digesting proteins to help rebuild the muscle you just broke down. Remember, these guidelines are for healthy adults and NOT persons with blood sugar problems or other metabolic diseases!

FOOD QUALITY:
No sugar or refined carbohydrates. Choose foods with a low Glycemic Index
Low GI =55< Medium GI =55>69
High GI = 70 or more (you can find this at any health food store or online)

For example, instead of the Frappacino have a Café’ Misto made with skim milk. The glycemic index can be found by doing a Google search.
A. No Saturated fats or trans fats. Usually in many fast foods and processed meats. When you see “hydrogenated” or “partially hydrogenated” oils on an ingredient list, the food contains trans fats. Like saturated fats, eating too many trans fats can raise cholesterol (LDL) and increase the risk of heart disease. Powdered Coffee creamer is a good example of something you may be eating that has trans fat and didn’t even realize it.
B. No bread or white flower.
C. No fried foods
D. If you have oils choose olive, flaxseed, sun flower and avocado oils.

FOOD VARIETY:
Eat a variety of proteins (Fish, Chicken, Turkey, Eggs (whites only) and Lean meats (98% Fat free) beans are high in protein and excellent when combined with BROWN rice. Also good with brown rice are Hemp seeds and Chia seeds.

A. Eat as many green vegetables as you wish and choose other “colors” as well.
B. Make your dairy the fat free version –Greek yogurt is best, fat free. Also, if your lactose intolerant a good substitute for milk is almond milk. A brand called “Silk” is excellent and the unsweetened version only has 35 calories per serving.
C. Consume fruits consisting of a low glycemic index. I believe focusing on any berries is best but for variety these are good as well. Apples, Grapes, Kiwi, Cherries, Grapefruit, Oranges, Peaches, & Plums.
D. Eat grains that consist of wheat and not white flower. For example- Eat brown rice not white and have wheat pasta instead of regular. Many people suffer from gluten intolerance and some of these items may cause gastric distress. Again check with your doctor.
E. Instead of cereal select oatmeal (Old Fashioned) or cream of wheat.
F. If you must have breads, eat pumpernickel or Sour dough ONLY. They have a lower glycemic index.
G. The best fats too eat are: Avocado’s, walnuts, almonds, flaxseed and coconut oil occasionally. Some great oils are olive oil, fish oil, avocado oil and Palm Kernal oil. Note: When it comes to oil do not cook with olive oil, it has a low smoke point which means it degrades and do more harm than good. Use it for cold foods like dressings for salads and vegetables. A great oil to cook with is avocado oil. It has a much higher smoke point.
SODIUM:
I always recommend not salting your food and to be aware of food labels and how much sodium is in the product. Daily sodium intake for normal healthy adults should be below 2300mgs a day.

WATER INTAKE:
It is very important to drink approximately 1oz per kilogram of body weight (89kg =196lbs) spread out evenly throughout the day. It will not only keep you healthy and hydrated but it will also aid in fat loss. When the kidneys don’t get enough water they work harder and don’t function at their best. The liver is forced to work harder to help out and “puts aside” its less important tasks, like burning fat for energy. Instead it will use more carbohydrates, which is easier to use than fat and much more is stored in the muscles than the liver. One more important water fact. Try not to drink too much with a meal because it will dilute the digestive enzymes. Have it before or 45 minutes after. Unless you are eating something very dry. The best advise though is to thoroughly chew your food. The longer you chew the more salivary enzymes help to aid the digestive process.

FIBER:
Fibers are the structural parts of plants. Most are complex carbohydrates. Fibers can also be classified according to their solubility in water. Two types of fibers include soluble and insoluble. In general, water soluble fibers dissolve in hot water and occur in high concentrations in fruits, whole grains, oats, barley, legumes, and some vegetables; water insoluble fibers are found in higher concentrations in vegetables, wheat, and cereals.
It is important to include both types of fiber in your diet. Water soluble fibers delay the stomach’s emptying and the transit of chyme through the intestines; they have also been shown to lower blood cholesterol levels. Water insoluble fibers accelerate the transit time of chyme and increase fecal weight. In the body both types of fiber slow starch breakdown and delay glucose absorption into the blood. Most healthy adults require approx. 21-40 grams of fiber a day.

SNACKING:
Many people have a need or desire to eat late at night before bed. I am a firm believer in not eating carbohydrates at least 4 hours before going to bed. That means any carbohydrate other than green leafy vegetables or other low calorie vegetables ie, hearts of palm, artichokes, tomatoes, onions and string beans. I also feel competitive athletes or other persons striving to obtain a low level of body fat and who are on a calorie restricted diet, should consume a slow digesting protein before bed. Ie Egg whites, chicken, fish. This will provide the body with a “time released” version of amino acids during the time you are sleeping, which is 8 hours without food. This is a good habit to minimize muscle breakdown.

VITAMINS & SUPPLEMENTS:
I am not a big believer in taking vitamins if you are healthy and under 40 years of age. Vitamins are needed in small amounts and minerals even less. Some vitamins if taken in excess such as Vitamins A, D, E & K are harmful to the liver. Too much Vit B6 (More than 600mg/day) can cause loss of sensation in peripheral nerves. Too much Vit D can cause excessive Calcium deposits. If you have a poor diet or have been advised to by a Nutritionist, Dietician or Physician or you are involved in a vigorous exercise program, I believe supplements have their place and can be a good addition to a healthy lifestyle. As we age our digestive systems are not as efficient due to aging, poor diets, alcohol and other environmental factors. So supplements, if taken wisely under a knowledgeable professional, can be a good addition, especially a good protein supplement or bar. If you are one of those people that must eat on the run, it’s important to remember, protein supplements ARE NOT meant to be meal replacements and only to be used as a supplement to your regular diet. Be sure to have your doctor test your vitamin D levels!!!!

God bless and all the best.

John ☺

 

Category: Nutrition

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