item1

Wednesday 31 August 2016

The Meat You Eat: What's Good for You ?


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 !

Monday 29 August 2016

Diet's. I HATE THEM !

      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.
  1. Exercise for 30 minutes at least 3 times a week
  2. Get your carbohydrates from fressh fruits, vegetables and whole grains.
  3. Eat protein with every meal
  4. Drink 1 litre  of water a day.
  5. Every time you eat look at your plate. You should see healthy carbohydrates and a healthy source of protein.  
  6. DO NOT HAVE A CHEAT DAY! Have a reward meal instead.
  7. Every other day eat pure clean foods. No crap. No fizzy drinks,chocolate, alchohol ,cakes,crisps, you get the idea.
  8. On your reward day ,have one treat.
  9. If you have to go out i.e. a party, wedding or to dinner with friends,eat before you go.
  10. 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.  

Saturday 27 August 2016

The 100-Year-Old Concussion Protection Technique That's Making a Comeback


 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 . 

Wednesday 24 August 2016

5 Signs of Adrenal Fatigue


 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.

Sunday 21 August 2016

Real Men Don’t Talk About Health — But They Should


 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. 

Friday 19 August 2016

Parents, Your Teen’s Decision Making Is Better Than You Think


                                                                                                         
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. 

 

 

What's for breakfast ? Eggs !


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.

Wednesday 17 August 2016

10 Tips For Beating Adrenal Fatigue


 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.  

Diabetes and Sugar


 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 .

 

The Good Side To Caffeine


      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.

Monday 15 August 2016

Move Over, Sugar – Now Meat Is The Magic Bullet For Curing Obesity


 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.

item2
item5
item8
item11
item14
item17

Success Fitness Training

Professional Personal Fitness Trainer

BOOK A CONFIDENTIAL MEETING 07816 642 730