Did you know…

• In 1850 sugar consumption was just 20 lbs per person per year; in 2007 the average person ate 160 lbs per person per year
• The average person in the USA eats 6 oz or 1/3 lb of sugar per day
• High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) is the #1 source of calories in the American diet
• Increases in chronic disease, including cancer, diabetes, obesity, and heart disease directly correlate with HFCS hitting the market in the 1970′s
• The average American eats 4,000 lbs of sugar in a lifetime (imagine a dump truck full!)
• Ninety cents of every grocery dollar is spent on processed food full of HFCS
• High Fructose Corn Syrup is metabolized into fat faster than other sugars
• HFCS has significant traces of the neurotoxin mercury

Here is some more info from Wold Fitness about sugar:

99 Ways Sugar Is Poisoning You

The Sweetest Scam Of All Time

Sugar Cravings Taking Over Your Brain!

Soda makes people fat.  I thought everyone already knew that, but a Dutch study published less than 2 weeks ago (abstract) found that drinking soda leads to enhanced risk for cardiovascular and metabolic diseases.

But besides making people fat, soda can really tear you up inside.  To illustrate, here are 34 ways you can use soda around the house.  Read them and then decide if something that melts rust off of chrome is really something you want going into your body…

CLEANING

1. Clean Car Battery Terminals. There’s acid in almost all carbonated drinks. And that helps strip corrosion from car battery terminals. Pour some soda over the battery terminals and let it sit for a while. Wipe off the residue with a wet cloth.

2. Clean Your Dirty Toilet Bowl. Got bad stains, a date coming over in an hour and no toilet cleaner? Pour a can of soda into the bowl. Let it sit for an hour to let the phosphoric acid work on the stains, then brush to loosen the dirt and flush clean.

3. Remove Rust Spots From Chrome. If you have an older car that has real chrome trim, chances are there are some small, and some not so small, rust spots developing on the chrome. Take some crumpled aluminum foil, dip it in some cola and rub the rust off the affected area.

4. Remove Rust Stains in Your Tub. Remember how the phosphoric acid worked to clean the toilet bowl? The same acid will remove rust stains in your tub. Soak a sponge (preferably one with an abrasive side), in some cola and go to work on the stain.

5. Clean Grout. Got some mold and mildew ruining the look of your shower? Soak a sponge with Coke and work it into the grout. Rinse with water.

6. Remove Grease From Clothes. Been working on the car all weekend and greased up more than just the engine? Pouring a can of cola into your washer, along with your regular detergent, is said to help loosen and wash away those grease stains.

7. Remove Milk Stains From Clothes. Got milk? Soak the stain with Coke for about five minutes, then wash normally. It should get the stain out.

8. Remove Blood Stains From Clothes. Ruin your favorite shirt when you nicked yourself shaving? If you soak the stain with cola for five minutes then wash in your machine, the blood should come out. Even dried blood that’s been there for a while.

9. Clean Coins. Got a thing for shiny pennies? Collecting state quarters and want them to sparkle? Place your coins in a small dish and soak in Coke for a few hours. Rinse and wipe to a bright shine.

10. Clean Grease From Glass. Even Eyeglasses. That same handy phosphoric acid removes grease and grime from glass. Even dried hairspray from mirrors. Just rinse thoroughly with water after.

11. Clean Oil Stains From Garage Floor or Driveway. Pour soda over the stain, let it soak in for a while, then scrub and rinse off with a hose.

12. Clean Burnt Pans. Forget a pot on the stove and now whatever was in it is seared to the bottom? If scrubbing won’t get it off, try this: boil some Coke in the pot and the burnt-on mess should lift right out.

AROUND THE HOUSE

13. Loosen Clogged Drains. If your sink is draining slowly and you don’t have any drain cleaner in the house, pour a 2-liter bottle of cola down the drain and let the acids go to work on the clog.

14. Loosen Rusted Nuts and Bolts. Soak a rag in cola and wrap it around the rusted-on bolt for a few minutes. The acids and carbonation will help loosen it.

15. Make Flowers Last Longer. Got your girl some flowers and you want them to survive through the week? Pour about 1/4 cup of clear soda, like Sprite or 7-Up into a vase full of water. Sugar helps them last longer.

16. Strip Paint From Metal Patio Furniture. Want to refinish some outdoor furniture? Do it the right way and strip off the old paint first. To make it easier, soak a towel in Coke. Let it sit on the furniture for about a week, adding more Coke whenever the towel starts to dry out. The paint should strip off easily.

17. Kill Slugs and Snails. If these pests are invading your lawn and garden, pour a little Coke into shallow dishes or jar lids and spread them throughout your yard. The sugar attracts them, and, just like you remember from when you were a kid, the acid kills them.

18. Greener Lawn. It’s rumored that spraying Coke on your grass will keep your lawn greener into the fall months.

FIRST AID AND EMERGENCIES

19. Relieve Nausea or an Upset Stomach. According to The Doctor’s Book of Home Remedies, the syrup in Coca-Cola can be used to cure upset stomachs. Just let leave the can or bottle open for about 30 minutes first, until the soda goes flat. The carbonation could have an adverse effect on your stomach.

20. Prevent Diarrhea. Also found in The Doctor’s Book of Home Remedies, if you’re traveling through a country with a questionable water and/or food supply, drinking coke could keep you from making constant “runs for the border”. The acids in the soda help reduce the amount of E. Coli bacteria in your intestines. This inhibits the production of toxins that can cause diarrhea.

21. Relieve Constipation. If you are, as the Germans say, Farfrompoopin, the caffeine from a can of coke can have a laxative effect. Much like that morning latte.

22. Stop an Asthma Attack. Just as an asthma attack comes on, down a couple of cans of coke. Some sources say the caffeine can help prevent an asthma attack.

23. Ease a Sore Throat. By gargling with soda you can loosen the phlegm causing the irritation.

24. Stop a Jellyfish Sting From Stinging. The acids in cola seem to neutralize the venom in the sting. And pouring Coke over the wound is better than having your buddy pee on it.

25. Get Gum Out of a Kid’s Hair.  Come to the rescue with your can of Coke. Soak the kid’s hair for a few minutes, then rinse. The gum should come right out.

26. Strip Dye From Hair. If your girl comes over crying that her new dye job turned her hair green, wash her hair with Diet Coke. Apparently Diet Coke has the ability to strip and/or fade bad dye jobs.

27. Get Rid of Skunk Odor. Pissed off Pepè Le Pew and now you aren’t allowed in the house? Sponge down with some cola and hose yourself off. Again, those handy acids work to neutralize the stink.

28. Use As a Moisturizer. Mixing a capful of cola with unscented lotion is said to enhance the moisturizing effects.

29. Keep People From Slipping on Slick Floors. If you’re having an outdoor get together and you’re worried about guests slipping on your back patio, try this old stagehand trick: use a mop to spread a thin layer of Coke on the slippery surface. It’ll dry slightly sticky and tacky.

DUBIOUS USES

30. Give Your Hair Shine. Pour a can of coke over your head, work it into your hair, then rinse. It’s said your hair will be incredibly shiny. And impervious to slugs and snails.

31. Mousse Alternative. Mix equal parts coke and water in a spray bottle and mix well. After you shower, spray a light coat of the mixture into your hair, then style. (I’m sure having sugar in your hair all day won’t attract flies or be uncomfortable at all.)

32. Prevent Flatulence. Adding a can of coke to a pot of pinto beans when cooking is supposed to neutralize the gas-causing compounds.

33. Get a Darker Tan. There are those who say rubbing plain coke all over your body gives you a deeper tan. (There’s caramel coloring in there, but I question the evenness of the result, and how long it will last.)

34. Shell Hard Boiled Eggs. Apparently, if you soak hard boiled eggs in Coke the shells will dissolve, eliminating the need to actually have to peel them.

This is pretty cool: When Calorie information for sugar sweetened beverages (soda) is displayed in convenience stores, kids aged 12-18 years buy less of them.

A study in the American Journal of Public Health tracked buying behaviors of adolescents in low-income areas.  They put up one of three different posters in corner stores.  The posters were randomly chosen out of these three options:

(1) Absolute caloric count. Ex: This soda has 300 Calories

(2) Percentage of total recommended daily intake.  Ex: This drink has 12% of your daily Calorie need

(3) Physical activity equivalent.  Ex: This one said they’d need to run for 50 minutes to burn off the Calories in the drink

The researchers found that sales of sugar-sweetened beverages dropped by 40% with any of the three posters.

The best-performing poster was the physical activity equivalent poster – it reduced drink purchases by 50%.

Food and Drug Administration officials are publishing regulations for restaurants to put Calorie information next to food items on the menu.  This study shows that providing ANY information is better than providing none, when it comes to making healthier choices.

Here’s my reference (do I get bonus points that it was released 2 days ago?):

Sara N. Bleich, Bradley J. Herring, Desmond D. Flagg, and Tiffany L. Gary-Webb (2011). Reduction in Purchases of Sugar-Sweetened Beverages Among Low-Income Black Adolescents After Exposure to Caloric Information. American Journal of Public Health. e-View Ahead of Print.
doi: 10.2105/AJPH.2011.300350

And, as usual, here’s a link to the abstract: Posters Reduce Pop Sales

One of the best and fastest ways to lose weight is to totally cut wheat and grains out from your diet.  But cutting out grains has lots of very surprising health benefits.

So if someone joins bootcamp with high blood sugar, high blood pressure, high inflammation, low HDL, high triglycerides, high LDL, and a lower belly bulge. Eliminate all grains and in 90 days they have lost 20 pounds of fat, blood sugars normalize, triglycerides drop dramatically, HDL goes up, LDL goes down, and c-reactive proteins (inflammation markers) drop.

If that’s not enough benefits for you… here’s some more!

- Improve Rheumatiod Arthritis Symptoms: This is a big one for me personally. Get rid of grains and painful thumbs, fingers, wrists, and ankles clear up remarkably fast (getting rid of dairy and sugar will help too). Lots of people have found that once the conditions are gone, one serving of wheat will give them a painful throbbing in their joints that lasts for hours. No grains, no pains

- Reduction or Elimination of Irritable Bowel Syndrome

- Reduction or Elimination of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)

- Improved Mood: Getting rid of grains will make you happier and will stabilize your moods. Did you know that wheat is a cause of a type of schizophrenia and bipolar illness?

Cut out wheat and you’ll cut out mood swings.

(More info on nutrition and mental well being: End Emotional Eating, Sugar Cravings Taking Over Your Brain, and Natural Nutrition To Fight Depression And Anxiety)

Fix Ulcerative Colitis: The stomach pain, gut cramping, and diarrhea from ulcerative colitis can be eliminated by cutting out wheat. Ulcerative colitis sufferers are negative for the antibodies for celiac disease and almost all their symptoms come from eating grains.

Higher Libido For Both Men And Women: Cutting out grains will improve sex hormones and endothelial response. (Endothelial cells are what line the inside of blood vessels. Improving endothelial response will result in increased bloodflow to genitals)

Clearer Skin: Eliminating wheat helps clear up eczema, acne, rashes, itching, and bags under your eyes. Sounds good to me!

People with celiac disease can DIE from eating wheat. What else do you eat regularly that can make you so sick and do so much damage to your body?

Cut out grains today and stick with it for at least two weeks. You’ll be so amazed at how much better you feel that you’ll never want to go back.

DEPRESSION IS NOT A PROZAC DEFICIENCY!!

Mental illness has become an extremely profitable business in the United States.  Annual sales of anti-depressants keeps growing and growing.

In fact, major depression is expected to become the secondmost cause of disability worldwide by 2020.

Anxiety, panic, and depression steal from the experience of life and cast a dark cloud over everything.

Eating clean and exercising definitely help to fight both depression and anxiety, but sometimes you need a little bit extra to balance things out.

That’s where natural supplements come in.  Below is a list of nutrients that will help you take control:

1.  A low carbohydrate diet, with no grains or sugars.  (For more info on sugar check out these blog posts: Sugar Cravings Taking Over Your Brain and 99 Ways Sugar Is Poisoning You)

2.  Plenty of water.  A dehydrated brain doesn’t work right.

3.  B-complex supplementation.  The B vitamins all work together, if you’re missing just one, none of them work.

4.  Full-spectrum Sea Salts.  Sea salts are full of the trace minerals you need to keep yourself in balance.  I personally like to get a salt from a different area every time I need some more.  This week it might be Celtic salts, next week Himalayan salts.  Doing this helps me be sure that I’m getting a wide variety of trace minerals.

5.  Magnesium.  Try to get 600-800mg a day.  Magnesium glycinate is very easily absorbed by your body.  Since magnesium can be taken in through your skin, Epsom salt (magnesium sulphate) baths or magnesium oils can be a good magnesium boost when you’re feeling down or overworked.

6.  Zinc.  Zinc can be rough on an empty stomach, so I take my zinc and magnesium right after breakfast.  If I’m feeling beat down from tough workouts or super-stressed, I take a second dose after dinner.

7.  L-tryptophan.  This amino acid is what people talk about in turkey dinners – it doesn’t make  you sleepy, don’t worry .  Typtophan is useful for fighting off both depression and anxiety and is a direct precursor to serotonin.

A good way to take tryptophan is 500mg on an empty stomach and note how you are feeling.  If you don’t improve your sense of general well-being within a half hour, take 500mg more, and continue.  When you start feeling better, that is your dose.  (Note: Do NOT take is you are also taking anti-depressants.  Talk to your doctor first)

8.  Theanine.  This amino acid is useful for combating anxiety paired with mind racing and physical tension.  Begin with a low amount on an empty stomach and find your personal prescription the same way you did with L-typtophan in #7.

Theanine can be found in black and green tea and is the precursor to the calming neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid.

Theanine shows positive effects on both serotoning and dopamine.  Small doses can raise your energy, while larger amounts are very relaxing.

More benefits include lowering high blood pressure (maybe through the calming effect) as well as being neuroprotective against alzheimer’s and dementia.

9.  Gamma-aminobutyric acid.  This is the neurotransmitter supported with theanine.  It can also be taken as a supplement itself.  It is used by naturopaths for issues with anxiety, physical tension, and racing thoughts.

10.  L-tyrosine.  This amino acid becomes norepinephrine and dopamine – both neurotransmitters linked to depression.

Figure out the dose the way you would with theanine or tryptophan.

Tyrosine is stimulating and so you shouldn’t take it if you have a problem responding to stress, it might set you off.  Also, since tyrosine is a precursor to melanin (skin pigment), so you shouldn’t take it if you have melanoma.

Don’t use tyrosine if anxiety is your problem, only for depression.

11.  Taurine.  Famous for being an ingredient in the energy drink Red Bull, tyrosine is good for fighting anxiety related problems.  It helps take care of nervousness without being sedating.

Taurine is an antioxidant, helps support bile functions, and helps take care of the electrical system in your brain and heart.

Work out your dosage the way you would with other amino acids (small amounts on an empty stomach).  Very high doses might have a diuretic effect (you’ll pee more), but aren’t toxic.

12.  DL-phenylalanine.  Another amino acid precursor to tyrosine, norepinephrine, dopamine, and endorphins.  Read about tyrosine above, DL-phenylalanine has the same warnings.

DL-phenylalanine is very helpful people with strong addictions towards pleasure seeking.  (Ever seek pleasure or comfort from foods?  Check out these posts: End Emotional Eating and Do You Use Food As A Reward?)

13.  Sunshine or Light Boxes.  I prefer sunshine

Using a light box for 15-30 minutes in the morning can shut down melatoning production during the day, which lessens fatigue and depression as well as raising serotonin levels.

Spend as much time outdoors as you can without burning to get the most you can out of “light nutrients.”

Oh, and don’t wear sunglasses when you walk on your lunch break.

14.  Vitamin D.  Vitamin D is another supplement I take daily.  Deficiencies in vitamin D can lead to not only depression and anxiety, but a whole host of other health problems.  (A lack of vitamin D has been shown to be a big cancer risk)

15.  Fish Oil/Omega 3s.  Fish oil helps you with EVERYTHING.  Depression, anxiety, weight loss, you name it, fish oil can help.

There you have it, 15 natural supplements to help fight depression and anxiety.

Long term, your best defense against both depression and anxiety are a healthy low-carb diet, exercise, and a strong social support network – your family and friends.

This time of the year we can’t avoid Holiday parties and their evil twin “Alcohol”.

If you know me, you know that I am a big advocate of a balanced lifestyle. I preach moderation NOT restriction.

So without further ado, let’s talk a bit about our friend “alcohol”…

Alcohol And Fat Loss – What You Need To Know

One question that often presents itself to many dieters who are trying to shed their extra pounds is whether alcohol can be included in their nutrition plan.

Alcohol is something that most adults do like to indulge in from time to time – some more often than others

So what’s the real deal about alcohol and your progress? Is this something that you can make room for in your diet or is it something that you need to give the boot?

Alcohol And Calories

The very first thing that you need to take note of is how many calories are found in alcohol. Alcohol itself contains seven calories per gram, whereas both proteins and carbs contain just four. Fat comes in at the highest calorie value per gram at nine, which places alcohol right in the middle.

But what’s often worse is what the alcohol is mixed with. If you’re drinking your alcohol with high calorie or fat mixers such as cream, sodas, or sugary mixers you could easily end up with a drink that packs in well over 300 calories per serving.

If you take in three or four of these over the course of the night, it’s really going to add up.

Alcohol And Fat Metabolism

The second important thing that you need to note is the impact that alcohol consumption will have on your fat metabolism. The minute that you put alcohol into your body, all fat burning is going to come to a halt.

Your body views alcohol as a toxin and as such, as soon as it comes in, it’s going to do everything it can to rid itself of this alcohol. No further fat will be burned off until it’s out of your system.

Only then will you start burning up body fat again. So if you consume quite a bit of alcohol one night, you can expect to see your rate of fat loss drop off for a significant period of time.

Alcohol And Your Recovery

Finally, the last important thing to note about alcohol consumption is the impact it will have on your recovery rates.

In addition to putting the brakes on all fat burning taking place in the body, the second thing that alcohol is going to put the breaks on is protein synthesis.

This means that no further lean muscle tissue will be built up as long as that alcohol is in the body.

Again, you can imagine what this is going to do to your workout goals.

So as you can see, if you want to be truly successful with your fat loss and workout program, it’s best if you can forgo alcohol for the time being. One drink every now and then may not hurt all that much, but if you’re taking in any more than this, it will definitely hinder the progress that you see.

“The more you cook, the better you look”

Learning how to make healthy meals tasty and interesting is one of the best things you can do for your physique and your health.

Today I want to share some of the recipes from here on Wold Fitness. (WARNING!  Not all of these recipes are pure paleo)

First, check out this post: Six Dumb Things You Do In Your Kitchen

You’ll get a breakdown of simple things you can do to improve your healthy eating

Now, on to the recipes!

Smoked Salmon Salad

Paleo Peach And Pecan Scramble

Beef And Pepper Kabobs

Grilled Salmon And Peach Salad

19 Primal Snacks

Apple Pie Scrambled Eggs

Coconut Milk Ice Cream

Asian Turkey Burger

Bacon And Brussels Sprouts

Lentil Fruit Salad

Smoked Salmon Wrap

Hyper-Veggie Breakfast Scramble

I’ve written about my personal experience with soy overdosing here: Soy, My Nipples, And Your Health.

And a friend of mine just sent me this study on soy: Soy food and isoflavone intake in relation to semen quality parameters among men from an infertility clinic

Researchers looked at “subfertile couples” undergoing treatment at fertility clinics and found that there is an inverse relationship between soy intake and sperm concentration.

Translation: The more soy you eat, the lower your sperm count.

Uh-oh.

Soy’s natural defense against being eaten isn’t thorns or poison, it’s much more subtle than that.  When a soy plant is eaten, it makes the animal (humans in this case) sterile to prevent any future eating.

Diabolical, isn’t it!

So the take-home message for today is: Soy really messes up your health.

If you want to find more studies on soy, google any of the abstracts on this page: Survey Says… Soy Is Bad News!

Estrogen levels in men are a hot topic in the news right now.

Men with high estrogen levels are more likely to store their fat in their chest and lower abs.  Plus it leads to some nasty health issues and chronic diseases.

Testosterone levels in men are 15 to 50% lower compared to 50 years ago.  (This probably leads to the saying “You’re half the man your grandfather was!”)

I’ve put together a short list of estrogen-lowering tips for men, check ‘em out:

1.  Eat organic, local, pesticide-free produce.

Preferably grown yourself or from a farmer’s market.

Pesticides and herbicides have been shown to increase estrogen levels.

2.  Eat organic, local, hormone-free meats.

Most commercially raised livestock is pumped full of hormones and antibiotics.

These hormones and antibiotics will raise your estrogen levels, damage your body, and lead to heart disease and cancer.

To really maximize the health benefits of the meat you eat, get grass-fed beef.

3. Avoid commercial protein powders for the reasons in #2

If the animal has been pumped full of hormones and antibiotics, it stands to reason that the milk from the animal will be full of hormones and antibiotics.

If you drink whey protein from an animal full of chemicals, your estrogen levels will rise.

4.  Avoid eating and drinking out of plastic

Plastic has been linked to increased estrogen levels.  Keep your food in glass containers and drink out of stainless steel bottles.

The worst plastic for you is type #7 (it has a little 7 on the bottom).  Avoid this plastic at all costs, don’t even use shampoo from type 7 bottles.

5.  Don’t eat “modern foods”

Almost everything that comes from a box, bag, or bottle is bad for you.

Follow the paleo nutrition rule: only eat what a caveman would eat.

All the chemicals and preservatives in modern manufactured foods will raise estrogen levels, make you fat, and lead to health problems.

6.  Eat tons of cruciferous vegetables

Cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and cauliflower have been shown to reduce estrogen levels.  A side bonus is that they are effective cancer fighters.

Tired of broccoli?  Here’s a list of other cruciferous vegetables:

• horseradish
• land cress
• ethiopian mustard
• kale
• collard greens
• Chinese broccoli
• cabbage
• brussels sprout
• kohlrabi
• broccoli
• broccoflower
• broccoli romanesco
• cauliflower
• wild broccoli
• bok choy
• komatsuna
• mizuna Brassica
• Rapini (broccoli rabe)
• flowering cabbage
• chinese cabbage
• napa cabbage
• turnip root
• turnip greens
• rutabaga
• siberian kale
• canola/rapeseed
• wrapped heart mustard cabbage
• mustard greens
• tatsoi
• arugula
• garden cress
• watercress
• radish
• daikon
• wasabi

7.  Avoid alcohol

Alcohol is highly estrogenic.  A drink a night or a few drinks on the weekend will boost your estrogen levels and keep fat on your body.  Which leads to…

8.  Lose excess body fat

Most people forget that fat has an impact on hormone levels.

It is essential for men to get their bodyfat below 15% for health and to combat estrogen levels.

No booze, no junk food, cut the carbs, and do metabolism boosting workouts at least 3 times a week.

9.  Drink purified water

Water quality is getting worse and worse as it is recycled and chemicals are added.

Get a high quality water filter and use it for all of your drinking water, coffee, tea, and ice cubes.

For bonus estrogen fighting points, get a filter for your shower head as well.

10.  Get more sleep

Lack of sleep will cause your estrogen levels to rise.  Make a deal with yourself that you’ll be in bed early enough to get a full night’s sleep.

Darken your bedroom, avoid TV or computer an hour before bed, and don’t drink caffeine late in the day.

That’s it, 10 simple ways for you to lower your estrogen levels.

With low estrogen levels, not only will you be healthier and leaner, it will be easier for you to add muscle, recover from injuries, and have a great body.

A chiropractor friend of mine told me that SITTING is the most damaging thing we do all day:

You probably don’t need a better chair, you just need to see how to sit correctly.  Check out this video:

For more tips and tricks for getting rid of back pain, check out this post on Wold Fitness:

17 Ways To Fix Back Pain