Getting Big the Right Way

I spent most of my life as a scrawny - mom's word - kid. I have a small frame and the muscle structure to match. I have gotten used to the idea that there will always be someone stronger than I. I learned to deal with this in two ways. First, I focused on the things my body could do well, such as running and biking. Second, I let them do all the heavy work. Turns out, I am kinda lazy. I understand what drives the guys that want to change themselves and get big.

Adding muscle when you are small takes more than going to the gym a few times and looking at yourself doing curls in the mirror. You need to work as hard to get big as most need to lose weight, and it will take longer. The first thing to come to grips with is the fact that you are an animal. Nature does not like waste - how many fat monkeys do see? When you gain a pound of muscle it requires more calories to maintain, so your body will not want to keep it long. You have to commit to this new lifestyle as a permanent part of your life. If you don't, your work will be lost almost right away.

Once you have decided that this is your goal, and you are training to achieve it, there are some supplements that can help you out. I have written about the core four, protein, creatine, glutamine, and arginine in the past but you will need more help to get to your goals. I would look first at your post work out/ recovery shake. I suggest that you get 30 grams of protein with about 60 grams of carbs in that shake. I would then add 5 grams of creatine. That seems to work the best for the guys I help. Any more protein and it will likely be flushed down the drain. The carbs are needed to recharge your muscles and control your insulin. Most people do not realize that insulin is the most anabolic hormone in the body. Controlling your insulin is a great way to improve the gains you will earn from you workouts.

Ideally, that will be the only shake of the day. You need to eat your calories, not drink them. Eat a balanced diet that has enough calories based on your metabolic rate to gain muscle at a controlled, slow and steady pace. Fast gains are fast loses. Remember you are change your body and it has been many years in the making already.

Krill Oil for Non-Belugas

“Which is better: krill or fish oil?” This is a question that I have faced almost daily for the better part of two years. When Dr. Oz gave his endorsement, it did not make my life any easier. I have asked the very same question to the people who produce the products we are deciding between.

My first warning about krill oil came 18 months ago when I asked 3 respected producers why I should take krill oil instead of the high quality fish oil supplement I had been using. Everything I had read up till then had indicated that I wanted to take between 1.5 and 2 grams of EPA and DHA per day. To achieve that in krill would require baleen http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baleen . I might be overestimating. My best received response was about the superior absorption of krill. The most common response was a condescending smile, and friendly pity. I guess I have that kinda face.

Well, two years later, I feel confident when people ask me that question. Krill is an outstanding source of astaxanthin, an outstanding antioxidant that I place a very high value on. http://www.naturalnews.com/astaxanthin.html For the omega 3 fatty acids, however, it is just not a practical source. Even it's better absorption does not over come its low amounts per dose of EPA and DHA. When you couple that to the fact that only 1 ship, not company but ship, has been certified as sustainably harvesting the krill, my decision is clear.

I do not take krill because it has the potential to do more harm to the environment than benefit to me.

Supporting the Whole You

The other day I woke up with a headache. I was away from home and did not have any solutions for the pain with me. I was not doing anything mentally stimulating, so there I sat with the pain and boredom. It made me think about what I would do if someone had approached me with this same issue.

Often people want a remedy for the pain, something that will work right away. When this happens I tell them I take aspirin. I love the look of shocked horror on their faces! After they recover I start the real process to help them.

Treating a symptom like a headache and calling it a cure is much the same as using one of the spray can flat tire repair kits to fix a flat. It does the job, but you still have a nail in your tire. A headache, for example could be caused by many things, such as excess stress, exhaustion, too much alcohol, or getting hit with a frying pan. It makes sense to most of us to prevent the headaches when we can. If most of your headaches come from flying cookware then you would naturally learn to duck and maybe buy a hard hat. Hangovers are prevented just as easily. Nobody does it, but, hey, at least it more fun the the Calphalon assault.

Why, then, would we not take the same steps for a systemic cause? Helping the body cope with chronic stress can have an impact on the frequency of the headaches. Use an adaptogen, such as rhodiola, to support your body's response to stress. If your sleep has been poor lately, using supplements like L-theonine, L-trytophan, or ZMA can help you return to regular sleep.

I know that when I do not eat correctly my blood sugar can drop and a headache soon follows. Regular use of supplements like cinnamon and chromium when combined with proper diet can help support blood sugar within normal levels.

Treating the symptom with something to mask it does not really help support your health. It is up to you to look for what is causing the symptom. Take the remedy of your choice to help with the immediate problem, just don't forget to look for the underling problem to maintain your better health.

What Does It All Mean

Many of us have heard the terms Omega 3, Omega 6, or Omega 9. A lot know that Omega 3s come mainly from fish oils, while Omega 6 and 9 come from plant and farm animal sources. Moo, Oink. Few of us, including me, knew what the 3, 6, or 9 meant.

The number in the name refers to the double bond, of carbon I believe, in the fatty acid. Omega 3 refers to fatty acids with the third double bond, omega 6 is the sixth double bond, and omega 9 is the, wait for it, ninth double bond. There is also a supplemental omega 7, but I figured you could run that down for yourselves.

Why is that important? To most of us, including me, it isn't. Frankly, I am pleased you made it this far in the post. If you are really interested or have lots of spare brain cells you can also look into the “cis” bonds. For myself, I am more interested in the way the body reacts to them, and uses them.

To simplify things, if you think of omega 3s as fish oils and omega 6s as vegetable oils, it will be easier for you to control their places in your life. This is not a correct way to look at them. Omega 3, 6, 7, and 9 are present together in most sources, but for ease in dietary concerns I will paint with a broad brush.

Omega 6 from things like corn and canola oils, which are two of the most common cooking oils, are big players in the diet of many of us. These omega 6's, when they out proportion omega 3's, have a profoundly inflammatory effect in the body. They may also create, in the right situations, arachidonic acid. No, this is not how Peter Parker got his mojo. Arachidonic acid is a powerful inflammatory omega 6 that has been tied to things like brittle muscle cells and prostate cancer.

Omega 3 from fish oils, and vegetable sources like flax and chia, support a healthy response to inflammation. They support the cardiovascular system, brain, eyes, skin, and joints. They also help with mood and the ability of the mind to focus.

Most of us do not cook with fish or flax oils, so how do we maintain the healthy 2 to 1 ratio of omega 3 to omega 6, you may ask? Well, I suggest you stop deep frying. It seems like a smart ass thing to say, but, it is really still to common a way to cook. Pan fry, if you must, but use lower temperature oils like olive and coconut. These tend to be better for you and taste better as well. I also supplement with omega 3 every day. I try to be sure my total of EPA and DHA for any day is over 1.1 grams.

Inflammation is linked to every disease as a contributing factor. It inhibits the bodies ability to deal with stress, toxins, and life in general. Why not be sure to keep such a simple problem in check?

There is a growing medical crisis in the United States that can affect anyone. One in seven people have osteoporosis, costing $20 billion to the US economy each year. This rate is going up as the population of the US ages. It also does not include osteopenia, which also can lead to an increase in bone fractures and their severity.

We've all had broken bones, so what is the big deal? As we age, these breaks can require lengthy rehab, hospital care, or lead to death. In fact, 40% of those who suffer a major break after the age of 80 die within one year. That statistic is 20% for those over 70. FYI, the average life expectancy for someone in the U.S. is 78. 

With all that on the line, and past problems with drug therapies, you would think the FDA would inspect the information for clinical testing of new therapies more seriously. Nope.

Senators Seek Information on Side Effects ofMedtronic Bone-Growth Product 

I submit that if your therapy has worse side effects than the disease it is treating, you may want to change things up. There are several new supplements that have clinical studies showing bone density improvement with their use. Among those I like Bone StrengthTake Care  and The Grow Bone System from The Garden of Life.  Both of these products are safe and support bone density.

Fair Product Reviews Need to Be Complete

I have spent a considerable amount of time helping people manage their weight. These conversations frequently start with the question: “Do any of these products work?” The expectation is that supplements to help people manage their weight are all scams. There are certainly enough scams out there to warrant some skepticism, but I find that the larger issue lies with the use and expectation of the supplements available. People looking for the magic pill should try the end of the rainbow.

When I read the review of a supplement on Diet-blog,  I felt that they undervalued the ingredients of the product and did not tie them back to the manufacturer's claims. This kind of review only perpetuates the problems of the industry and does not educate the reader effectively.

I have not tried this product and I am not familiar with it or the manufacturer outside of the review. The product line is called Quick Trim. In an effort to fairly review it, I will only be able to speak to its ingredients, not to the product itself. If these ingredients are just “names on a label”, they will not have the effects I am talking about.

From the review:

Ingredients

Caffeine (200 mg), Vitamin C, Niacin, Chromium, Amino Acids, Banaba Leaf Extract, Sage Leaf Extract, Willow Leaf Extract, Cocoa Extract, Black Pepper Extract, Fruit Extracts, Green Tea, Aloe, Oat Fiber, Various Seed and Root Extracts

Quick Trim Claims

• Cleanse and detoxify
• Burn fat and boost metabolism (burn up to 8,000 calories per month)
• Reduce cellulite to shape and tone your body
• Boost energy levels and increase mood
• Decrease bloating and water retention
• Maintain blood sugar levels
• Curb cravings
  

The Conclusion

The caffeine (which you can find in two cups of coffee), acts as a mild stimulant, a temporary diuretic, and a mild appetite reducer. The niacin may make your face feel hot and flushed to give you the sensation that the product is working. Chromium has been heavily studied and researchers are still unsure if it may help promote stable blood sugar. All of the other ingredients in Quick Trim are fairly insignificant. A few may act as a mild laxative or add a few grams of fiber to your diet.
Mainly, Quick Trim could likely calm your appetite for about 15 to 60 minutes and act as a mild laxative. However, I don't believe it is going to help you shed pounds. This supplement is likely safe, but every person is different and those allergic to caffeine or who have low caffeine tolerance should be cautious. Quick Trim is not FDA approved. As always, proper diet and exercise is the key to safe and long term weight loss.

Of the ingredients that were listed but not discussed, the first I was surprised to see was banaba leaf.  I have previously written about this supplement and feel it supports healthy blood sugar levels, which does help craving control. Cocoa extract is a source of theobromine, which acts to control appetite and cravings. It also helps with mental focus. Black pepper extract can improve the absorption of the other ingredients in the supplement. Left out of the review was the fact that caffeine is also a diuretic, which speaks to the claim regarding bloating and water retention. I would have to know what aminos and fruit extracts are in the product, but these too can be very effective in the battle over the bulge.

Outrageous claims and jaded reviews do nothing to educate the consumer, and many will fall victim to both and give up on their health as a result.

The Beat Goes On

Regulating high blood pressure has become a major health focus for many of us. It is a multi-billion dollar industry in this country alone. A recent study indicates that one in five people between the ages of 24 and 32 may have high blood pressure and not be aware of it. Many experts believe the risk of developing high blood pressure in adults over 55 above 90 percent. High BP can cause many health issues including damage to your eyes, heart, brain, and kidneys. It is know wonder that I talk to people everyday that are looking for a safe way to maintain their blood pressure in a healthy range.

One of the first things that I suggest they try is the amino acid L-arginine. This amino has long been used by sports enthusiasts as a vaso-dilator. Part of the nitric oxide cycle in the body, L-arginine works best with two other aminos - L-ornithine and L-citrulline - to create N.O. in the blood, which can reduce BP by creating more space in the blood vessels.

Complementary to the L-arginine, adding pomegranate extract provides benefits on multiple fronts. Pomegranate extracts work as an antioxidant, protecting the walls of the blood vessels, improving the activity of nitric oxide synthase. Pomegranate also increases the level of paraoxonases (PONs), which are major component of HDL. Pomegranate extracts also act as an angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor, which helps to lower blood pressure. Lastly, pomegranate is a very potent antioxident for the entire body, providing many protective health benefits.

A combination of supplements to support healthy blood pressure levels is usually the best course. Not everything works with everybody, so some experimentation with your supplements may be necessary. Look for the supplement plan that matches your personal needs and fits into your lifestyle.