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Beef: It
gets a bad rap. While it can be unhealthy to eat too much fatty red meat, lean
red meat doesn't raise your cholesterol and contains nutrients like protein,
vitamin B12, iron, niacin, and zinc. Beef tenderloin is a lean, delicious --
and healthy -- way to go.
Lamb: Like
beef, lamb is a good source of protein, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin B12,
niacin, zinc, and iron. Irish lamb stew, full of healthy vegetables and lean
cuts of lamb, is a great meal to share with friends.
Bison: This
is one of the leanest red meats, which makes it healthier from the start. But
there's more: Compared to beef with the same fat content, bison doesn't make as
many of the fatty plaques that can clog your arteries and lead to heart
disease.
Goat: This
isn't on many menus in the U.S., but three-quarters of the world eats it. It
has far less fat and calories than other red meats, and has plenty of vitamins
and nutrients. It also has very little saturated fat -- even less than chicken.
An Indian goat curry might be a good way to get familiar with it.
Chicken: It's
far lower in saturated fat -- the most harmful kind -- than most red meat. A
3-ounce serving has 25 grams of protein along with essential amino acids, iron,
and niacin. These help with cell growth and metabolism. Roast a whole bird and
serve it with a simple green salad.
Turkey: Like
chicken, turkey has all nine essential amino acids (which is called a complete
protein). It's also lower in saturated fat than most red meat. But Thanksgiving
hosts learn every year how hard it can be to prepare this poultry well. Try
putting it in an outdoor smoker for several hours until the meat is tender.
Liver: Liver,
particularly beef liver, is one of the most nutritious meats you can eat. It's
a great source of high-quality protein; vitamins A, B12, B6; folic acid; iron;
zinc; and essential amino acids. How about some beef liver pate paired with a
nice glass of red wine?
Pork: Lean
pork is every bit as good for your body as lean beef and chicken. In one study,
substituting lean pork for beef and chicken led to less body fat and better
heart health. For a spicy take, try ancho-rubbed pork tenderloin. It's lean,
flavorful, and perfect for grilling.
Bottom
Line : These meats are a great source of natural protein. Take
advantage of this by adding a good healthy sources of carbohydrates !
Every time you turn around there is a new diet out. Paleo, Mediterranean , Macro,Caveman,oh my God stop the insanity.Somebody is making a lot money off of these things and it sure aint me. If you are tempted to try one of these remember this : They promote weight loss.Not fat loss. If you would like a brief explanation as to what the difference is visit my website at www.lasuccess.co.uk and look up The Truth About Dieting. Ok, moving on.
You don't need to do any of these things and you certainly don't need to be spending your hard earned money on them. I am going togive you some advice on getting you started to losing the weight and feeling better. Absolutly FREE. I mean it. I want nothing from you.Just follow these steps and you will be amazed at what you can accomplish.
- Exercise for 30 minutes at least 3 times a week
- Get your carbohydrates from fressh fruits, vegetables and whole grains.
- Eat protein with every meal
- Drink 1 litre of water a day.
- Every time you eat look at your plate. You should see healthy carbohydrates and a healthy source of protein.
- DO NOT HAVE A CHEAT DAY! Have a reward meal instead.
- Every other day eat pure clean foods. No crap. No fizzy drinks,chocolate, alchohol ,cakes,crisps, you get the idea.
- On your reward day ,have one treat.
- If you have to go out i.e. a party, wedding or to dinner with friends,eat before you go.
- If you must drink avoid beer,juice drinks,soda drinks and wines. Have drinks made with water or tonic water.
There you have it. Follow these 10 very easy steps to get you started and I think you will be surprised at how easy it really is. Surley,you can go one day without putting any junk into your body. And please stop spending your money and your time on these gimmick diets that in the end will leave you worse off than when you started.If you have any questions about nutrtion or execise feel to email me at info@lasuccess.co.uk.
There's
no silver bullet for detecting concussions, never mind preventing them.
Researchers
have developed advanced technologies and concussion protocols, but many
concussions still go undiagnosed. In fact, research shows we only identify 1 in
6 concussions.This
is a significant issue, because when athletes continue to play their sport with
a concussion, they are playing with an invisible injury , which, if left
unaddressed, can prevent them from playing their sport for good and lead to
serious long-term health issues.
So
where do we go from here? It turns out, our best chance of more accurately
detecting concussions might be a method used over 100 years ago.
In
1905, Harvard University football coach Bill Reid documented the team's
concussion protocol, which read as follows:
"In case any man
in any game gets hurt by a hit on the head so that he does not realize what he
is doing, his teammate should at once insist that time be called and that a
doctor come onto the field to see what is the trouble."
It
was a teammate's duty to report a potential head injury, since the injured
player might be incapable of taking himself out of the game, or may not even
realize he has an injury.Over the years, this message was relegated to the
history books. We prioritized toughness and playing at all costs. A player
coming out of a game was considered weak.
And
athletes suffered the consequences from this mindset.
That's
why the Concussion Legacy Foundation created Team Up Day, a movement that hopes
to change this attitude and encourage teammates to report each other's
concussions, just like Harvard did a century ago.
"Team
Up Day came out of our effort to change the culture around reporting
concussions," explains Chris Nowinski, CEO of the Concussion Legacy
Foundation. "We are trying to teach athletes to team up and speak out to
fight concussions."
Why
Athletes Should Report a Teammate's Concussion
You
can't count on a concussed athlete to take himself out of a game. He may
attempt to hide his symptoms or he may not even be aware he has a potential
concussion.Put simply, a concussed athlete is not a reliable athlete.
But
as a teammate, you are watching the game closely. You may notice your teammate
stumble after a hard hit, or maybe he acted strange on the sidelines. And you
may be the only one who notices these symptoms.
"Your
teammate might not be able to take himself out, but you might recognize that he
may have a concussion," says Nowinski.
If
you suspect a concussion, you must speak up and tell a coach, athletic trainer
or doctor about your suspicion. Not only will you be doing your teammate a
favor to protect his long-term health, you will be stopping him from making a
mistake (due to his impaired brain function) that could influence the outcome
of the game."A concussed athlete will make mistakes and hurt your ability
to win," adds Nowinski.
Why Haven't We Been
Doing This All Along?
Athletes
are ultra-competitive and will try to play their sport if at all possible. But
concussions aren't like other injuries. You don't feel pain. You just
experience symptoms, which are sometimes minor and hard to notice.
"The
brain can't send pain signals like the rest of your body can, because you don't
have those pain nerves in your brain," explains Nowinski.
Unfortunately,
the lack of pain signaling within a culture of playing sports at all costs has
allowed athletes to play with what could be serious head injuries.
"Throughout
history, players have been playing through concussions because it seemed that
it was OK to do at the time," Nowinski says. "We've realized that
behavior has led to athletes having to retire young from post-concussion
syndrome."
Reporting
a teammate's possible concussion is a tough call to make. As an athlete, you
don't want to upset your teammate. It's easy to imagine reporting a concussion
and the sudden anger of your teammate who still thinks he can play.
But it's the right
thing to do.
"You
need to look at this the same way you would if you had a friend who's drinking
and wants to drive, and you took away their keys," Nowinski says.
"They are going to be upset with you, but you know it's the right thing to
do,"
Getting on the Same
Page
Your
teammates, coaches and parents should all be on the same page. It should be
normal and expected to report a concussion, not something that's frowned upon.
However,
this is a big culture change for some individuals and programs. The message
needs to come from the top to get athletes to buy into it.
"Athletes
all want to do the right thing, so we just need to teach them what the right
thing is," Nowinski says. "Everyone wants to be a good teammate and
everybody wants to look out for their teammates, and so we're just changing the
definition of what being a good teammate is."
The
Team Up Day initiative is asking team leaders, whether it's a coach or captain,
to read a speech to their team on September 13th and post it on social media,
tagged with #TeamUpSpeakUp to help spread the word. This quick speech explains
that a teammate with a concussion needs your help, and as a concerned teammate,
you are expected to report it if you suspect a head injury—no questions asked.
You
don't need to be a medical professional to identify a suspected concussion.
Oftentimes, the symptoms are fairly easy to detect. Here are some things to
look for:
•Your teammate
complains of a headache.
•You see a big hit and
your teammate stumbles or loses balance, even for one step.
•Your teammate stays
on the field after a play but seems disoriented.
•Your teammate forgets
plays
•Your teammate slurs
his speech or acts strangely on the sidelines.
Nowinski
advises to have a low threshold for reporting concussions. He says, "The consequences of being wrong if they
don't have a concussion are nothing. The consequences of being wrong if they
did have a concussion and you left them in can be catastrophic."
How
to Get Involved
Team
Up Day already has major supporters, including The Ivy League, The National
Federation of State High School Associations, USA Rugby, Major League Lacrosse,
American Hockey Coaches Association, among others.
Bottom
Line: There is to much at stake. A
concussion is a permanent type of head injury,so don’t ignore it .
Is
your daily life an uphill struggle? No matter how much sleep you get, you can’t
shift the brain fog? Are your blood tests fine but you KNOW there’s something
not right? If this sounds familiar, you should know that there is a
little-known part of your body called the adrenal glands, and if the working
order of these bad boys is compromised, your overall health and well-being will
suffer dramatically.
If you feel as though you’re living your life
surrounded by cement, both physically AND mentally and you’re like many of the
population and have never heard of the adrenal glands, allow me to introduce
you.
What Are Adrenal Glands
Put simply; the adrenal glands are located
near your kidneys and their primary role is to make and secrete hormones which
are essential for you to live.They produce adrenaline (which alerts your brain
to dangerous situations), aldosterone (which aids kidney function) and cortisol
(which regulates your bodies reaction to stress).
When
your body is in a stress-induced state, the adrenal glands go into overdrive to
produce those critical hormones which serve the purpose of fundamentally saving
your life.In the past 50+ years, the lifestyle of the average Westerner has
evolved dramatically. It is now common to see people suffering from high levels
of stress, a poor diet high in sugar and processed foods, and 24-7 access to
electronic devices which is increasingly omitting the ability to shut off and
get a good night’s sleep.
It is a combination of these factors which
has put the adrenal glands to business, and they are now producing those
hormones at an almighty rate to try and regulate our frazzled bodies. This has
created a disease known as Adrenal Fatigue Syndrome.
And
it’s Making Our Lives A Misery !
Look back over the past five years of your
life; if you can identify with a shift in lifestyle that’s involved periods of
high stress, poor diet and lack of rest, and you’re suffering from any of the
following symptoms; your adrenal glands could be fatigued. They are struggling
to produce the hormones that you need to survive your day-to-day life, and you
need to take action now.
1.
Disturbed sleep patterns: The Adrenal glands are responsible for the production
of cortisol. In a healthy person, cortisol is at its highest level in your body
first thing in the morning and reduces throughout the day to reach its lowest
level just as you go to bed. When the body is under stress, higher levels of
cortisol are produced by the adrenal glands at night time leading to an energy
spike before bed making it harder for a person to relax and unwind which leads
to insomnia.
2.
Struggling to get out of bed each day: OK, who doesn’t struggle, especially on a
Monday morning? Well, healthy people actually. If your alarm goes off and you
have to hit snooze a few times before you can even think about getting up, and
when you do you still can’t focus correctly, this is the result of the cortisol
that has been coursing through your body throughout the night. Even when your
eyes are closed, your brain is still waiting to send your body into battle for
you, and you don’t get a proper rest making it difficult, if not impossible, to
function throughout the day.
3.
Unable to handle stressful situations: If the car’s broken down, the kids are in
trouble at school, or a conflict at the office are now big things that you’re
struggling to deal with rationally, Adrenal Fatigue could be to blame. You
could once pride yourself on sailing through life taking life’s little problems
on the chin, but now, the stress of these situations weighs you down. Cortisol,
adrenaline and norepinephrine are all hormones released by the adrenal glands
when you’re faced with a stressful situation, and they help you to cope. When
the adrenals become fatigued, the production of those hormones is stifled, and
you struggle to get through those events which would normally be water off a
duck’s back.
4. Salt
cravings: Aldosterone
is produced by the adrenals and helps the kidneys control the secretion of
minerals that the body doesn’t need. When the adrenals become fatigued this
marker becomes ineffective. You will urinate more frequently and eliminate
minerals, including sodium, that your body should be keeping a hold of. If you
can’t stop thinking about salty chips and nuts, Adrenal Fatigue could be the
cause.
5.
Susceptible to illness: If you find that you’re now picking up every bug and
virus that is flying around, this could be due to an imbalance in your cortisol
levels.Cortisol contains a natural anti-inflammatory that keeps your immune
system under control. When cortisol levels are too high as they are in the
first stages of adrenal fatigue, anti-inflammatory properties also become too
high which reduces the effectiveness of your immune system. When cortisol
levels are too low as they are in the latter stages of adrenal fatigue,
anti-inflammatory properties are removed, and inflammation spreads throughout
your body causing illness and allergies.
Conclusion
While these are some of the common symptoms
associated with adrenal fatigue, there are rarer symptoms which you may be
experiencing one or more of:
• Breathing difficulties
• Bags or dark circles under your eyes
• Low blood pressure
• Reduced libido
• Pain in your joints
• Increase in weight
• Skin conditions.
If you are suffering from a combination of
any of the above symptoms and have experienced a period of chronic stress over
the past few years, it is likely that Adrenal Fatigue is the problem.
Diagnosis of Adrenal Fatigue takes place with
a series of simple saliva tests taken over a period of time, and the positive
results of this could lead you to start turning your life around immediately.
Bottom
Line : If
you feel you could be suffering from Adrenal Fatigue get it checked. The test
are easy and treating Adrenal Fatigue is pretty straight forward and easy.
Any woman who has
been on a car trip with a male driver knows that he won’t ask for directions.
“I’m not lost, I’m exploring” is a not uncommon explanation. Well, that really
doesn’t work, since it usually ends up making you late for the wedding, movie,
or fill in the blank with another time-sensitive destination. Another thing
that men don’t seem to do is discuss their health issues with each other — at
least according to a survey by the Cleveland Clinic.
This was a telephone survey of 500 men over the age of 18.
Over half of them said they just didn’t talk about their health. So what do
they discuss with their male friends? Here is a list of the most commonly
discussed topics:
•Current events, 36 percent
•Sports, 32 percent
•Job-related issues, 32 percent
•Their health, 7 percent
Obviously, men occasionally discuss health issues, but
they’re usually ones they can brag about — such as straining a muscle while
bench-pressing an enormous weight, or an injury acquired while performing a
heroic act (getting the neighbor’s cat out of a tree?).
In addition, 19 percent of the survey respondents said
they visit the doctor to avoid being nagged about it by a loved one, and 40
percent admitted not getting annual checkups. Worse, only 42 percent said they
consult their doctor when they’re concerned they might have a serious medical
issue (maybe if I ignore it, it’ll go away?).
And men’s knowledge about appropriate ages for various
screening tests — prostate cancer, colorectal cancer, heart disease, or high
blood pressure — is pretty poor. They typically think the tests should begin
later than various expert panels recommend.
Dr. Eric Klein,
chairman of Cleveland Clinic’s Glickman Urological & Kidney
Institute, commented “Prevention is paramount for a man’s health. Knowing the
facts, being proactive and taking advantage of the numerous advancements in
healthcare today can make a big difference in a man’s life.”
Bottom Line : Talk to your mates. Be proactive not reactive. If you have a concern get it checked out.
This September thousands of parents are going to watch
there chid walk out the door and off to Uni. Watching your child head to
another part of the country, can produced feelings that are new and strange and
sad and thrilling — but none that are at all special, or unique, nor more
poignant or significant than those being felt right now by thousands of other
parents in the same position around the UK.
Personally, all told the overriding feeling is an
unsettling and haphazard brew of pride, caution, happiness, dread, excitement
and — most importantly, concern — concern that she’ll be safe, as she hopefully
makes smart, healthy choices while embarking on their first extended stay away from home .
That said, as your child ( figuratively looks over her
shoulder seeking guidance), there’s some encouraging health news about teenage behaviour
that’s making me breathe a bit easier.
Called the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System, the recently released
information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is a biennial
report that “monitors six types of health-risk behaviors that contribute to the
leading causes of death and disability among youth and young adults.” They are:
•Behaviors that contribute to unintentional injuries and
violence
•Sexual behaviors related to unintended pregnancy and
sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV infection
•Alcohol and other drug use
•Tobacco use
•Unhealthy dietary behaviors
•Inadequate physical activity
And for parents like me, the good news is most of the
data in the report shows that today’s teens are safer and making better health
choices then previous teenage groups. Meanwhile, they are also making much better
decisions than teens did a generation ago.
More than 10,000 high school students were surveyed in
2015, just as a group that size has been queried every other year since 1991.
And while today’s parents may be working off perceptions that their teenagers
are growing up “faster” then they did, while making more dubious choices in a
world filled with added temptation, the data indicate just the opposite.
However, on the flip side, there are areas where teen
choices are not so great. Moreover, this information comes from self-reported
data, which itself skews the results somewhat, but overall the behavioral
trends are encouraging.
Pertaining to high school teenagers, here are some of the
important findings of those surveyed:
•Lower Rates of Tobacco Use: 10.8 percent smoke
cigarettes. That’s down from 15.7 percent two years ago; down from 23 percent
over a decade (2005); and down from 36.4 percent since 1997.
•Decrease in Trying Marijuana, Cocaine: 38.6 percent
report having tried smoking pot, down from 40.7 percent in 2013. Meanwhile,
those who tried cocaine also fell, yet slightly so, to 5.2 percent from 5.5
percent two years earlier.
•Fewer Experimenting with Alcohol: 63.2 percent reported
drinking at least once, down from 80.4 percent 20 years ago.
•Decreased Binge Drinking: 17.7 percent reported having
had “5 of more drinks in a row in past month,” which was down from 20.8 percent
two years ago, and down from 25.5 percent over the last decade.
•Less Sexual Activity: 41.2 percent said they’ve engaged
in intercourse at least once, as compared to 54.1 percent of teens in 1991.
•Near-Universal Use of Seat Belts: 93.9 percent of teens
“regularly wear a seat belt,” which is up significantly from 89.8 percent in 2005,
and up drastically from 74.1 percent in 1991. (In fact, with the exception of
survey years 1995 and 2003, seat-belt usage has constantly increased.)
Now, aside from this Youth Risk Behavior report, overall
there has been a drastic decrease in teen births. In 2015, only 2.3 percent of
teenage girls in the U.S. delivered a child, as compared to 5.6 percent of
teenage girls 20 years earlier.
“It’s exciting and really unprecedented to see these
types of declines on a health issue,” said Ginny Ehrlich, chief executive of
the Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy, as quoted in Vox‘s June 9
report on the Youth Risk Survey. “Last year alone, the decline was 9 percent.
Having spent a decade in child obesity prevention, where change happens much
slower, this feels monumental.” A significant contributor to this trend is that
teenagers, according to the CDC, are using contraceptives at a swiftly
increasing rate.
Now, do problem areas still remain? Of course they do.
Condom use “during last sexual intercourse” has slipped
from a high of nearly 63 percent of teens in 2003, to just 56.9 percent last
year. Obesity rates are higher now than ever, and far too many teens admit to
participating in the very dangerous activity of texting while driving. And in a
separate survey, full-time college students aged 18-22 report that they drink
more often (59.8 percent vs. 51.5) than those of the same age who don’t attend
college. All of which produces unease for me as my daughter takes her first
steps on a college campus.
However, all in all, when you step back and take a look
at the big picture, it appears that our teenagers are being smarter than we
think.
I know as a parent, I get wrapped up — maybe too much —
in what’s not going well, and trying to anticipate danger before it presents
itself (which is not completely a bad thing). That said, what I’ve learned is that
apparently our kids are behaving better than we thought. And most of all, we
should be encouraged in general by the choices they are making during the most
trying and demanding times of their young lives. I do realise that this survey was done in America,but maybe it is a reflection of young adults all over the world. Lets hope so.
Upon awakening this morning, the obvious answer to the
question "what's for breakfast?" was eggs. You see, I like eggs and
tend to eat a lot of them. I mean, who doesn't love a good omelette,right? Now,
I’m sure you’ve heard a time or two before that you should be mindful of
consuming too many eggs as their cholesterol content is rather high.I’ve even heard the recommendation that eggs should only
be eaten once per week to avoid cholesterol issues. If that’s the case, I’m
probably due to die rather soon.
Fortunately, it’s not.
You see, for years we have been told that cholesterol
intake should be kept to a bare minimum as doing so will help to decrease blood
cholesterol levels and promote overall health, and although the theory of
lowering dietary cholesterol intake to lower internal cholesterol makes logical
sense, the theory doesn’t quite pan out, as our bodies are, generally, more
complex creatures than our logical minds give them credit for.
Fact is, when dietary intake of cholesterol is decreased,
the liver compensates by producing more cholesterol, leaving total cholesterol
levels relatively unchanged. In the same way, if cholesterol consumption is
increased, the liver produces less cholesterol, and again, total cholesterol
values will not be substantially altered.
Now that’s not to say that we should go hog wild with our
intake of cholesterol, but it does mean that one can expect cholesterol levels
to remain relatively stable over a wide range of dietary intakes.
Given this information, you may be wondering why the body
would ever produce more cholesterol if cholesterol is so “bad”, and that’s a
good question.
The truth is, cholesterol actually acts as an antioxidant
against dangerous free radicals within the blood and is also necessary for the
production of certain hormones that help to fight against heart disease. In
fact,low levels of HDL ( good cholesterol) can be more dangerous than high
levels of LDL ( bad cholesterol ).
When there are high levels of undesirable substances in
the blood (caused by the dietary intake of damaged fats, highly processed
“unhealthy” foods, and large quantities of sugars), cholesterol levels rise in
order to combat these substances.
Blaming heart disease on high cholesterol is like blaming
infection on high levels of antibodies (special proteins produced by the body
in order to defend against foreign bacteria and infectious agents). If the body
allowed cholesterol to fall in the presence of large amounts of free radicals,
our risk for heart disease would increase, not decrease, and fortunately our
bodies won’t let that happen.
So, the answer to decreasing blood cholesterol levels is
not avoiding omelets and not necessarily decreasing dietary cholesterol intake,
but rather improving ones diet overall by eating healthier in general and
avoiding the other harmful types of foods mentioned.
Bottom Line : Combine that with increased physical
activity and both you and your cholesterol levels will be in even better shape.
Since eggs are great source of protein be sure to have a good healthy source of
carbohydrates with them. Like fruits or vegetables.
Have you ever
considered that stress is actually burning you out, interfering with sleep and
holding weight loss strategies hostage? I’ve spoken to so many people that say
they simple can’t shift that stubborn body fat, even though they are eating well
and exercising every day.
When you think of being stressed, it’s easy to imagine
someone flogging themselves at work till all hours trying to finish that
essential deadline, but there are so many other factors to consider:
•Overtraining
•Poor sleep quality
•Psychological stress (worry, fear,anger etc)
•to name but a few…
So if you feel like you just can’t shift those extra
kilos and are constantly running up hill, then I highly recommend you get
checked for Adrenal Fatigue !
What
is Adrenal Exhaustion?
The adrenal glands help to give us our get up and go. But
if you are continually surfing on adrenaline and running on empty they can
eventually start to under function. So what is Adrenal Exhaustion and what can
we do about it?The adrenal glands sit on top of the kidneys and are responsible
for the secretion of adrenaline, cortisol, DHEA and other hormones that are
required to help your body function during times of stress, whether it is
physical, emotional or mental. Chronic stress causes the adrenal glands to become
exhausted and so does the person. The whole body including the immune system
becomes weak and vulnerable. Adrenal Exhaustion can be very detrimental to your
over all health. It causes diminished cortisol and DHEA levels which can
adversely affect thyroid and sex hormones.
Cortisol
Cortisol is one of the most important adrenal hormones.
Normal cortisol levels are responsible for maintaining normal blood sugar
levels, it mobilises fat and protein stores for mores energy and has an
anti-inflammatory action in the body. Cortisol has an effect on most blood
cells that participate in immune of inflammatory reactions as well as having an
effect on blood pressure. It has an effect electrolyte levels in heart tisse as
well, heart beat, and influences the central nervous system controlling mood
and behavior.During the early stage of adrenal stress, elevated
cortisol levels contribute to weight gain, elevated cholesterol and blood
pressure, altered brain checmistry (which causes depression and anxiety), it
also has an effect on insulin resistance and osteoporosis to name a few. During
later stages of adrenal exhaustion the once high levels of cortisol eventually
fall to low levels where it is insufficient to adequately normal function and
good health.
DHEA
Insomnia
Another important adrenal hormone that declines during
periods of stress is DHEA which is considered the “youth or anti-aging
hormone”. DHEA’s main actions are through conversion into other more potent
hormones such as estrogen and testosterone. It also appears to have its own
action on the immune system and endothelial cells helping to boost the immune
system and help protect against atherosclerosis.
If production of DHEA decreases under stress and is not
rectified, a hormonal cascade can occur, resulting in a deficiency of sex
hormones such as estrogen, progesterone and testosterone. If these hormones get
too low then a whole range of other symptoms and problems can occur such as
PMS, menopause, andropause and hypothyroidism.
3
Stages of Adrenal Exhaustion
Stage 1 – Alarm (fight or flight)
Fight or flightIn this stage the body launches into the
fight or flight response by releasing elevated levels of noradrenalin, the
“anti-stress hormone” cortisol and the”youth/anti-aging hormone” DHEA. In short
bursts this is a healthy reaction and the adrenal cope well, but as stress
continues the adrenals are put into overdrive to cover the early signs and
symptoms of fatigue. The pancreas is also effected, blood sugar becomes
imbalanced, resulting in low energy. Many use a quick fix of either sugar,
carbohydrate or caffeine at this stage to over come fatigue.
Stage 2 – Resistance (fatigue & sleeping
difficulties)
With chronic or severe stress the adrenals become unable
to cope. Many people carry out their every day activities but really start to
struggle with fatigue. The body needs more rest and is slower to recover.
Anxiety starts to set in and people become more irritable and less able to cope
with stress. Sleep difficulties are common and the body starts to show other
symptoms such as hormonal problems and hypothyroid type symptoms like cold
intolerance, sluggish metabolism and weight gain. Often the thyroid gland is
effected at this stage.
Stage 3 – Exhaustion (shut-down)
As adrenal function weakens further the adrenals are no
longer able to keep up and cortisol output starts to decline. The body enters a
survival stage where its main aim is to conserve energy in order to survive.
This happen very gradually. The body starts taking energy from tissues, this
stage results in muscle breakdown and protein wasting. Exercise tolerance is
reduced and depression, chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia is common. Every major
system of the body is effected including the immune, hormonal, neurological and
metabolic systems.
Signs and Symptoms of Adrenal Exhaustion are usually a
combination of some of the following:
•Ongoing fatigue and exhaustion
•Feeling rundown
•Decreasing ability to cope with stress
•Poor stamina and exercise intolerance
•Light headed when standing up
•Difficulty getting out of bed
•Non refreshing sleep and sleep disturbance
•Feeling mentally foggy, difficulty concentrating
•Low body temperature
•Low blood pressure
•Craving salt, sugar and carbohydrates
•Weight gain around the abdomen
•Insulin resistance, glucose intolerance, hypoglyceamia
•More prone to illness and infection, slow to recover
•Increasing hormone problems
•Hot flushes
•Depression and low mood
•Poor digestion
•Dark circles under the eyes
Adrenal Exhaustion can lead to….
Ongoing severe stress and adrenal depletion can lead to
serious health problems and acute adrenal insufficiency. Generally, the earlier
symptoms of adrenal exhaustion (Stages 1 + 2) are debilitating enough to force
people to seek help. The earlier it is identified and treated the better the
chance of recovery.
What
Causes Adrenal Exhaustion?
•Any major life stress, work, relationship, family etc
•Physical, emotional or psychological stress
•Lack of sleep
•Overexertion and over work
•Poor diet
•Alcohol, caffeine, nicotine and recreational drugs
•Excess sugar and high carbohydrate diet
•Acute or chronic allergies, infection or illness
•Toxins, pollutants and exposure to heavy metals
•Fear and anxiety
•death or serious illness of a loved one
The link between Stress and Adrenal Exhaustion
Many people don’t realise that the body responds to
different kinds of stressors in the same way, so when we talk about stress many
people only consider emotional stress.
Here are some examples of the types of stress that can
contribute:
•Environmental Stress: Heat, cold, noise, light
•Chemical Stress: Pollution, toxins, chemicals, drugs,
caffeine, nicotine and alcohol
•Physical Stress: Overexertion, trauma, infection,
injury, surgery
•Psychological Stress: Worry, fretting, anxiety, anger,
agitation
•Biochemical Stress: Nutritional deficiencies, excess
sugar, high carbohydrate diet, dehydration
•Emotional Stress: Any major life event, death, birth,
changes in relationships, work
Adrenal Exhaustion and Mental Health
Depression and anxiety are commonly associated adrenal
exhaustion. Adrenal hormones are involved in cognitive function, mood and
mental states in complex ways. The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal function is
effected during depression. Stress, with associated high cortisol and DHEA has
been associated with anxiety and depression, and people with low levels of DHEA
and cortisol have been seen to experience depression, brain fog, difficulty
concentrating and poor memory recall. Fluctuations in night time cortisol add
to sleep disruption experienced associated with depression.
How
is Adrenal Exhaustion Detected?
Low levels are detected by either a blood, urine or
salivary hormone test. Repeated cortisol levels are usually taken through out
the day to get an accurate picture of adrenal status.
What
Other Tests are Useful?
As adrenal exhaustion effects many body systems, it is
important to have a thorough check up if you have been diagnosed with low
adrenal function. It is important to look at hormonal, cardiovascular and
mental health as well as assessing your ideal weight.
Can
Adrenal Exhaustion be Reversed?
Adrenal health can be restored, providing steps are taken
to address stress, and that diet and lifestyle are optimal. Many herbal
medicines and nutritional supplements are effective in addressing low adrenal
function. It can take some time to achieve results, but the quicker it is
identified the faster you can address it. It is always easier to address
adrenal fatigue in its earlier stages, so if you feel you you may be suffering
from adrenal fatigue seek professional help as soon as possible.
Top 10 Tips for Beating Adrenal Fatigue
1.Stress: It is imperative that you address all stressors
in your life, if emotional stress has played a role, its time to get some
counselling.
2.Lifestyle: Its easy to push yourself if you’re used to
surfing on adrenaline, but taking a good look at your lifestyle and making some
positive changes really helps
3.Relaxation Techniques: Whether it be yoga, meditation
or cooking, find what works to relax you and make time for it every week.
4.Exercise: Probably the last thing you’ll feel like
doing but regular gentle exercise it a true stress buster.
5.Diet: Out with the fast food and in with regular,
nutritious meals, nutritional deficiencies are just another form of stress, so
eat well. Get some professional advice on this if you don’t know where to
start.
6.Avoid Stimulants: Alcohol, sugar, caffeine, nicotine,
recreational drugs have all got to go.
7.Address any other health problems: Chronic allergies,
infections and leaky gut are all a source of stress on the body, get these
sorted out asap!
8.Hydrate: Drink at least 8 large glasses of water per
day, dehydration adds to your stress load
9.Just say no: Don’t over commit your self, manage your
work/life balance and be a bit selfish so you can give yourself time to recover
your adrenal health
10.Get some Professional Advice: See your Naturopath,
herbal and nutritional medicine can make the world of difference. Don’t rely on
over the counter products and guesswork. A well balanced treatment plan from a
professional Naturopath, including dietary, lifestyle, herbal and nutritional
medicine will really help.
Bottm Line : If you feel you may be suffering from Adrenal Fatigue there are 2 things you can start doing immediatley that will have a positive effect on how your feeling. Exercise on a regular basis and eating healthy.
For people with
diabetes, avoiding sugar is the most common dietary concern. However, some
people may be too strict in their sugar avoidance. In fact, sugars and
sweetened foods can be eaten by those with diabetes - as long as they are only
eaten in moderation.
How much Sugar?
Health authorities and experts suggest that most people
with diabetes can consume up to 10% of their daily energy requirements as items
with added sugars without causing harmful effects on blood sugar or the blood
cholesterol profile. For an average adult consuming 2,000 calories daily, that
means no more than 32 g or about 8 teaspoons of sugar per day. Speak to your
dietitian about how to fit sweetened foods into your diet.
How to spot Sugar on food labels
Sugar might be "hiding" on the food labels
you're reading. All of the following terms indicate added sugar, so read
carefully!
•white sugar
•brown sugar
•icing sugar
•invert sugar
•corn syrup
•high fructose corn syrup
•maple syrup
•honey
•molasses
•brown rice syrup
•cane juice
•evaporated cane juice
•all fruit juice concentrates, including apple and pear
•all "ose" including Dextrose, Fructose,
Lactose, Glucose, Maltose and Sucrose
Key: Contrary to popular myths, there is really no
advantage to people with diabetes in using one type of sugar over another.
"Natural" forms of sugar are metabolized the same way in the body as
refined sugar and they all provide the same amount of calories, i.e. 4 calories
per gram. The key is to focus on the amount of sugar you consume, instead of
the type of sugar on the ingredient list. Natural sugars from fruits and
vegetables have very little affect diabetes because they do not induce a large
insulin spike. Learn how to manage your insulin thru eating low glycaemic foods
.
After many years of being a much maligned drink, coffee, and the
caffeine in it, is being seen in its true light. Many agencies are
seeing the good side of caffeine and coffee. This lively brew has
recently been re-examined by the likes of the United States Food
and Drub Administration(FDA), the American Cancer Society, the
American Medical Administration, and the Framingham Heart Study,
just to name a few. All of these agencies have given caffeine a
clean bill of health while showing the good side of caffeine and
coffee. I would suggest you use only organic blends. Coffee is one
of the most pesticide ladened crops in the world.
According to the results of the recent research endorsed by these
organizations, moderate intake of caffeine does not increase your
risk for several diseases. Moderate intake is considered to be 3
to 6 cups or 350mg of caffeine per day. Caffeine was once thought
to contribute to certain types of cancer, heart disease, high blood
pressure, bone loss, and complications during pregnancy. In fact
the opposite is true in many instances. The good side of caffeine
is that it can increase physical performance, endurance, and may
protect against heart disease. Any increase in blood pressure is
short lived. It is usually the same, or less than, what is seen if
you climb a single flight of stairs.
Another good side of caffeine and coffee is that they can be
performance and endurance enhancers. Recent research performed at
the University or Guelph, in Canada, has proven that caffeine
works. The battery of tests proved that ingesting 330 mg (5mg per
kg of body weight) one half of an hour to an hour before your
workout will result in an increase in endurance, faster times, less
fatigue, and a more rapid recovery. On average this increase was
30% in each category. You have to be careful though. Very high
doses, 600 mg or more, cause the effects to diminish. Also, since
caffeine is a powerful diuretic, the high doses can lead to
dehydration. Because of the dehydration potential, you should
never take caffeine or drink coffee while you are working out.
The good side of caffeine and coffee is further demonstrated by its
qualities as a fat burner. While it should not be the only
component of a weight loss regimen, caffeine has several beneficial
aspects in fat loss. First of all, caffeine increases your
metabolism. Caffeine breaks down fat cells into fatty acids. If
you are working out, your body will break down these freed fatty
acids and burn them immediately. As the fat is being burned, the
sugars in your blood are being held in reserve. That way your
blood sugar level will not drop as drastically while you work out.
The many good sides of caffeine and coffee have been brought to
light by recent research. Nearly all of the old myths have been
blown out of the water. A moderate intake of 3 to 6 cups, or 350
mg, per day has many benefits that are of interest to people who
want to stay in shape. By increasing your endurance you can get
more reps in each time you work out. The release of fatty acids
will help to change your overall body mass index, and keep your
blood sugar level in the proper range longer. The good side of
caffeine or coffee is the increased metabolic rate that you will
experience. An increased metabolism normally translates into a
more fit you.
If you are not trying to sell a diet book or get on an
afternoon medical news program, you probably don’t think giving up a food group
is a magic bullet for weight loss. Actually, it is. So is a cleanse. That is
what crash diets are, even if they don’t work in the long term.
In the last few years we also have been told by
mainstream media that wheat is some kind of special food for creating obesity,
and then others have said both sucrose and high-fructose corn syrup are. A few
even implicate artificial sweeteners. Blah, Blah, Blah.
Now a paper is claiming it’s meat.
Meat has been criticized by the eugenics-derived
population control movement for carbon dioxide emissions (if poor people would
just stick to vegetables, the wealthy could have air conditioning without
guilt) while vegetarians want meat gone for self-identification reasons, but
causing obesity is new. What it lacks is what all of other claims about special
obesity-generating foods lack – a valid biological hypothesis. Instead it falls
back on correlational epidemiology – using Body Mass Index (BMI), no less,
which isn’t taken seriously anywhere – and they throw in some evolutionary
speculation to make it feel more like science. It’s nice to admit confounders,
but they are still there.
Using food availability data from the U.N.s Food and
Agriculture Organization and World Health Organisation, along with the World
Bank, the scholars mapped meat consumption and obesity rates in 170 countries
and their correlation analyses found that meat availability accounted for 50
percent of the obesity variation – even after controlling for calorie
consumption and exercise. Meat contributed 13 percent to obesity, the same as
sugar.
But they don’t know what people actually ate, they just
know what people could have eaten.
Still, that protein is directly responsible for obesity
is at least original. They contend because protein takes longer to digest, it
turns into fat because carbohydrates and dietary fat are used for energy first.
The flaw in that is that you can’t control for calories and then blame what
takes longer to digest – it’s still too many calories. If carbohydrates and
dietary fat are too large a source of calories, people will get fat. Giving up
meat would not prevent it. But they suggest other studies agree with them, a
scientific logical fallacy, which have found that people who eat more plants
are thinner. Studies have also found vegetarians have more mental health issues
and cancer – that does not mean the diet caused those.
Regardless, the authors contend the world needs to eat
less meat, along with less sugar. Instead, people just need to eat less of
everything. In 100 percent of studies, people who consumed fewer calories than
they burned, regardless of the type of calories, lost weight. Remember, losing weight is not the same as losing fat.
NOTES: The CEO of
Crossfit even claims Coca-Cola causes diabetes. Then proudly endorses Pepsi. If
you can’t figure out a metabolic pathway where that makes sense, you will never
run a $4 billion company selling exercise videos.
Bottom Line : There is no need to give up healthy meat
completely. This is the kind of nonsense that plaques the health and fitness
industry and why people get so confused.
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