Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Saturday, December 12, 2009
Friday, October 9, 2009
Saturday, October 3, 2009
Depression in the year 2020
It’s not looking good according to the WHO (World Health Organisation)…
“Depression is the leading cause of disability, and the 4th leading contributor to the global burden of disease in 2000. By the year 2020, depression is projected to reach 2nd place for all ages, both sexes. Today, depression is already 2nd in the age category 15-44 years for both sexes combined.”
Quick facts from the WHO;
- Depression is common, affecting about 121 million people worldwide.
- Depression is among the leading causes of disability worldwide.
…and I am not surprised
By now you’re probably aware of my feelings towards modern society, therefore i’ll skip the rant about how society is making us sick… BUT, the above figures do prove a point; that modern society is an unnatural environment and is not conducive to overall contentment.
So what’s the problem?
I’m not 100% certain… but I do suspect that consumerism is deteriorating the fabric of society. And mass marketing is constantly telling us to buy more, get more, eat more, be more, etc.
Mass marketing is becoming increasingly clever and deviously surreptitious in it’s execution. I think mass marketing is an evil form of psychotherapy, constantly trying to get into our subconscious. Try and go one day without running into mass marketing - it’s not easy.
The vicious cycle
Here is the formula of modern society;
- Work 40 hours a week, and become time poor.
- Being time poor we have to buy ready made food, which is expensive.
- Being time poor we become stressed, we need to buy a holiday.
- Now there is less money so we have to work more.
Repeat the above steps and add more working hours (and stress) for each cycle. And for each cycle, you get a step closer to depression.
Obviously my example is a very generalised one. But the principle of “work more for less” stands true. I feel great sadness when I see people filling their shopping carts with overpriced processed foods - it saddens me because I know that some corporation has just cashed in on the sweat of their hard work. Not to mention the fact that the processed food is very likely to be unhealthy.
I realise that the consumer is responsible for their choices, but I can’t get away from feeling that somehow, even though there are 1000’s of products to choose from, there really is little choice, if any.
Time to fight back
If you’re are reading this article then you’re already taking affirmative action, because you’re seeking…. don’t stop seeking, learn the truth! Get informed and fight back!!!
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Thursday, September 17, 2009
4 Foods That Are “Secretly” Making You Fat
I’m gonna let you in on a little secret…
You’ve been lied to all your life about healthy foods. It’s probably come from numerous people too…your parents, the lunch lady at school or even the USDA… They’ve all been pushing processed foods on you and claiming them as “health foods”
The truth is, most of what you think is healthy, is actually the EXACT food that’s making you fat!
I’ve seen it time & time again with my clients, that when they cut out bread, dairy, crappy breakfast foods & soda the following ALWAYS happens
- they lose fat
- they feel 100% better
- they have more energy
- they no longer have a “foggy” or “cloudy” head during the day
- their mood improves
You may not agree with this list 100%, but it works. If you’re sick of carrying around extra fat, then try cutting the following foods from your diet for 2 weeks and see what happens. Change is always encountered by a little resistance. That’s why its not so easy to change (and that’s why so many people are out of shape).
Let’s get right to it…
1. Bread - If you’re trying to lose fat & get stronger, then the bread in the cupboard or on top of the fridge needs to go! I allow myself a sandwich or some toast occasionally post workout, but when I’m trying to get lean, the bread is the first to go from my house.
The reason bread makes you fat is just like any other high glycemic food. It triggers your insulin response and creates a vicious cycle of you being hungry for more starchy carbs which in turn makes you fat.
Not only will bread make you fat, but it will make you tired and causes stomach problems for some people. I don’t care if your bread is whole grain, protein enhanced or plain ‘ole wonder bread…get rid of it if you want to lose fat.
2. Dairy - The Dairy Association Of America has spent over $200 million dollars trying to convince us that dairy is essential for bone growth & that without it we’ll all turn into little frail marathon runners. Guess what? It’s all bullshit.
I’ve looked around forever and have yet to find a credible study that says dairy is needed to build “strong bones”. One study actually showed that exercise, not dairy was overwhelmingly responsible for bone strength in teens. If you’re worried about calcium intake, stick to almonds, salmon, spinach and any other green leafy vegetable. You’ll get more than enough… (here’s a list of non dairy calcium rich foods)
Eliminate all milk, yogurt, cottage cheese, cheese and any other dairy products from your meals and you’ll see a MASSIVE improvement. If I had to pick, dairy & bread make the biggest differences by far when it comes to losing fat.
If you’re used to eating a lot of dairy, this might not happen overnight. But try to ween yourself off it as soon as possible, because you’ll notice a BIG difference on the scale and with how your body looks.
3. Carb Loaded Breakfast Foods - The traditional American breakfast is very carb dependent. Waffles, muffins, pancakes and cereal are all pretty common staples in most people’s diets. This does not lend itself well to fat loss. My friend and expert nutritionist Joel Marion says that breakfast is the most important meal of the day when you’re on a fat loss quest because “it sets the tone for the rest of the day”
If you eat like crap at breakfast you’re gonna be much more likely to eat like crap for lunch and dinner as well. But if you eat a good breakfast, then you won’t want to screw up your good day by eating a bunch of junk for lunch and dinner. Your day depends on the meal you start with, so make it count.
For breakfast, some of my favorite meals are eggs, veggie omelettes and fresh smoothies (banana, strawberry, blueberry).
4. Soda (diet soda too) - Soda is LOADED with sugar (39 g) and high fructose corn syrup. Check out what my friend Isabel has to say about HFCS in sodas:
A lot of people rely on soda & energy drinks because they think it helps them have more energy. But what you’re really getting is a sugar high for 20 minutes and then a huge crash that will leave you tired and unable to focus.
Do you know what makes you have more energy? Eating real, natural foods and doing high intensity circuit training or strength training. Ive seen it SO MANY times with my personal clients. They can’t believe how much more energy they have after cutting the crap foods & drinks out of their diet and actually getting off their butt and doing some physical activity.
If you’re a diet soda drinker you’re probably thinking “this doesn’t have any calories, so it’s not gonna make me fat”.
Well that’s WRONG too! Some nutritionists believe diet soda is actually worse for you than regular soda! The big problem with diet soda is the artificial sweetener used in them. Your body takes in these artificial chemicals and it’s first reaction is to try and flush them out.
While your organs are working overtime to get rid of this junk, it could have been burning fat from your body. Ditch the soda, and you’ll probably lose 3-5 lbs in a month just from that small change alone…
What You Need To Do
If your diet consists of a lot of these foods, you’re probably wondering what you SHOULD eat… Well for starters check out my easy weight loss diet & also my top 10 foods for fat loss. These posts have all of the info you need for getting started with healthy eating…
It’s not that hard, just commit to it for 2 weeks and I PROMISE you’ll see a huge difference.
Let me know if you have any questions or if you have a cool story to share leave it in the comments below!
- Vic
BTW on a side note my buddy Rusty Moore from Fitness Black Book has just released a FREE report on getting your body ready for a vacation. He’s done an incredible job putting this together, and I highly suggest you check it out (its free, what ya got to lose?)…. ->Vacation Body Blueprint
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Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Monday, August 24, 2009
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Against the Grain: 10 Reasons to Give Up Grains
I’ve been toying, off and on, with the idea of eliminating grains for a while. I love them though - they’re delicious in all their slightly sweet, grainy goodness. Still, there’s little reason to incorporate them into the diet on a regular basis with the exception of one: personal preference. I know, I know. I can hear you now: “But they’re good for you!” “But they reduce heart disease!” “But they have fiber!” Here’s a little food for thought: there’s no vitamin or mineral you can get from grain that you can’t get in better quantities elsewhere. So let’s take a look:
Why You Should Go Grain-free
1. If you can get it from grain, you can get it elsewhere.
The big heroes of most grains’ nutrient profile are dietary fiber and B vitamins. Take heed, every grain is different and different grains offer different nutrient profiles. Yet, one thing remains constant: if you can find the nutrient in grain, you can find the nutrient in better quantities in other foods. For example, 100 grams of whole wheat flour contains 44 mcg of folate; however, a 100-gram portion of lamb liver will give you 400 mcg of folate and a 100-gram portion of yardlong beans will give you a whopping 658 mcg per 100-gram portion. Similarly with the B Vitamins niacin and thiamin, while a 100-gram whole wheat flour contains 30% of the RDA for niacin and 32% of the RDA for thiamin, you can find these nutrients in higher quantities in other foods - namely flaxseeds and sesame seeds. Whole grains are often touted as health foods for their fiber content, but you can find dietary fiber in better quantities in other, more nutrient-dense foods. For example: 100 grams of cooked brown rice offers up 1.8 grams of dietary fiber; by contrast, a 100-gram serving of cooked collard greens offers 2.8 grams; 100 grams of raw fireweed contains a whopping 11 grams of dietary fiber and even green peas contain about 5 grams of fiber per serving.
2. Grains aren’t good for your gut.
Intestinal health is critical to your overall health. If you’re gut isn’t healthy, you can’t absorb nutrients from the foods you eat. If you can’t absorb nutrients from the foods you eat, your body is malnourished and is more prone to disease. Grains are associated with a condition called leaky gut syndrome. Tiny particles of grains, when ingested, can slip through the intestinal walls causing an immune response. With your immune system excessively taxed by constantly attacking these out-of-place particles of grain, it cannot effectively fight against true threats like pathogens.
3. You’re probably gluten-intolerant.
If you’re white, there’s a good chance that you’re gluten-intolerant to some degree. Current research estimates that about 1% of the population suffers from celiac disease, an auto-immune condition related to the ingestion of gluten-containing grains like wheat and barley; however, some researchers on celiac disease and gluten intolerance estimate that 30% to 40% of people of European descent are gluten-intolerant to some degree. That’s a lot of people who are regularly consuming a food that makes them sick. (And, yes, I’m one of them.)
4. Grains cause inflammation.
Due to a high starch content, grains are inflammatory foods. The more refined the grain, the more inflammatory it is. For example, unbleached white flour is more inflammatory than whole grain flour; however, whole grains are still moderately inflammatory foods and certainly more inflammatory than other foods like fresh vegetables and wholesome fats. Chronic inflammation is linked to a myriad of degenerative, modern diseases including arthritis, allergies, asthma, cardiovascular disease, bone loss, emotional imbalance and even cancer. Unbleached white flour earns an inflammation factor of -421 or strongly inflammatory on NutritionData.com while whole wheat flour earns an inflammation factor of -247 or moderately inflammatory. Similarly, whole cooked millet earns an inflammation factor of -150 and cooked brown rice earns an inflammation factor of -143 - also moderately inflammatory.
5. Grains are fairly new on the scene.
While still a traditional food, grains are, nonetheless, the new kids on the block. Prior to the advent of agriculture, humans relied on hunting and gathering for their foods. They foraged for wild greens, berries, fruits and other plants. They hunted wild animals. They fished for wild fish. They didn’t plant a garden, or grow any amber waves of grain or, for that matter, drink dairy from domesticated animals since there simply wasn’t any domesticated animals. Humans survived like this from the development of the appearance of the first homo sapiens sapiens about 47,000 years ago to the advent of agriculture some 10 - 12,000 years ago. So, for the better part of human existence grains did not comprise any notable portion of the human diet. In essence, what has become the bulk of our modern diet was missing from the diet of our prehistoric ancestors.
6. Grains aren’t good for your joints.
Due to their inflammatory nature, grains - even whole grains - are linked to joint pain and arthritis. Grain’s amino acid composition mirrors that of the soft tissue in your joints. Because both synovial tissue and grains are chemically similar, your body has difficulty differentiating between the two. So, when your immune cells get all hot and bothered by inflammation caused by grain and begin to attack it as a foreign invader, they also begin to attack the soft tissue in your joint - leading to pain, autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis and, of course, more inflammation.
7. Poorly Prepared Grains prevent mineral absorption.
When improperly prepared as they most often are, grains can inhibit vitamin and mineral absorption. Grains contain substances like phytic acid which binds up minerals and prevents proper absorption. Essentially, though your diet might be rich in iron, calcium and other vital nutrients if you eat improperly prepared grain, you’re not fully absorbing nutrients from the foods you eat. However, please note that souring, sprouting and soaking grains neutralizes phytates and renders the nutrients in grain more absorbable.
8. Grains are bad for your teeth.
Due to those high levels of phytates in grain, grain is linked to dental decay. With high levels of mineral-blocking phytic acid coupled with low mineral absorption rates and plenty of starches for bacteria to feed on, grain contributes to dental decay. Anthropological records of our pre-agricultural ancestors indicates very little to no tooth decay; however, that changed after the dawn of agriculture. Indeed, some anthropologists use the presence of tooth decay is an indicator of an agricultural society.
9. Grains aren’t good for your skin either.
Grains have a very high carbohydrate content, and while the carbohydrates in grain are complex they are still broken down into sugars nonetheless. These sugars instruct your body to produce more insulin and insulin-like growth factor (IFG-1). Elevated insulin levels lead to a cascading hormonal response and these hormones activate the sebum-producing glands in your skin - encouraging them to produce more oil. IFG-1 is also linked with the increased production of keratinocytes which also contribute to acne.
10. Eating grain makes you crave grain.
You know how the smell of bread creates a longing in you - a yearning for a slice, slathered with butter and maybe jam. Or consider a plate of cookies set in front of you - so delicious - and you can’t just have one? Foods rich in carbohydrates give you quick energy, but that energy wears off just as quickly as it came. Since grains break down into sugar, they create a rise in insulin levels when those levels fall you crave more grains and, thus, the vicious cycle continues.
Of course, if you’re not quite ready to give up grains in their entirety, take care to make sure you eat the best quality grains prepared for optimal nourishment. Choose organic grains and make sure you eat them sprouted, soaked or soured. Or go on a grain-free trial with me for the month of May!
Monday, August 17, 2009
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Fatty Foods Affect Memory and Exercise
Other studies have suggested that that long-term consumption of a high-fat diet is associated with weight gain, heart disease and declines in cognitive function. But the new research shows how indulging in fatty foods over the course of a few days can affect the brain and body long before the extra pounds show up."