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Saturday, November 23, 2013

Minimize Thanksgiving Damage with these 10 Strategies

Indulgence doesn't have to equal utter dietary debauchery
I reached for a second helping of free-range, locally raised turkey while my friend discussed how she grew organic Swiss chard in her backyard. “We picked the Brussels sprouts and fresh berries yesterday at a nearby orchard,” she continued, and I replied how fragrant the quinoa stuffing smelled.
Then I woke up.
Pleasant as my dream was, reality is nowhere near that idyllic. Chaos reigns during Thanksgiving as family members bicker while the TV blares in the background. Second and third glasses of whatever alcoholic concoction they’ve created for the festive occasion only make them more obnoxious.
As for the food… Well,

Friday, November 15, 2013

These 10 Factors Can Help You Become Leaner, Stronger, and Younger - Part 2

You can't change your genetics but you can control how they're expressed.
Last week I discussed five determinants within your control to stay leaner, stronger, and healthier. You can’t turn back the clock, you can’t control your genetics, but you can make the best daily decisions to become your very best self.
While Biomarkers: 10 Determinants of Aging You Can Control is nearly 23 years old, its wisdom transcends time even if some of the research proves outdated today. While out of print, I couldn’t put down the copy my friend loaned me and had to share the book’s insights with you.

Friday, November 8, 2013

These 10 Factors Can Help You Become Leaner, Stronger, and Younger - Part 1

Optimal health leads to a younger you
As a researcher and science nerd, I always stay on top of the latest research. Early this year, a study showed DHEA combined with burst training could boost testosterone levels in middle-aged men. I use that kind of information to help my clients become stronger, leaner, and more powerful.
Recently another trainer at my gym showed me a fascinating book entitled Biomarkers: 10 Determinants of Aging You Can Control. “Why have I not heard about this book?” I asked.

Saturday, November 2, 2013

Is the Glycemic Index an Effective Tool for Athletes (or Anyone)?

Low glycemic foods? 
A few years ago my aunt revealed some grim news at a family dinner: she had type 2 diabetes. Within her news was a silver lining: after delivering the news, her doctor asked her to follow a low-glycemic diet to control her blood sugar levels.

I consider that a silver lining because, contrary to what many health professionals recommend, many doctors still resort to low-fat diets to control diabetes, when sugar remains the culprit for high blood sugar and insulin levels. By default, a low-fat diet will be higher in sugar. It makes no sense.

Rather than resort to the “eat less/ exercise more” cliché, her doctor told my aunt to focus on lower-sugar foods and recommended Dr. Jennie Brand-Miller’s book The Low GI Diet Revolution, which was an astronomical step in the right direction.

Trouble was, my aunt carried this and several other books around everywhere she went. She consulted charts in restaurants and grocery stores to ensure she only had low-glycemic foods on her plate and cart. She once had the nerve to reprimand me for ordering a sweet potato, which has a glycemic index of – gasp! – 70. And some of her food choices, even though low on the glycemic index, were less-than-optimal.

In short, she became a pain in the ass. Everything became a number, which dissolved every ounce of joy my aunt once experienced with food. 

The glycemic index had overtaken her life.

What the Hell is the Glycemic Index Anyway!?