Fats. Do They Make You Fatter?

Because fat’s are the most caloric dense food, it is often believed that they will make you fatter if you eat them. Seeing that we are non-believers in the calories in/calories out method, we just aren’t buying it that they do.

Why? Because it’s about the hormonal impact not the caloric value. Every type of food we ingest has a different impact on our hormones and our hormones ultimately dictate the way we look.

Brad and Todd discuss further here

 

It’s your health, MAN UP!

The Highs and Lows of Sugar and Your Liver

Today’s topic is all about the sweet stuff; the stuff we crave every single day:  sugar. Below are some great reasons to give sugar up, altogether.  In dealing with the withdrawal symptoms around the gym, it’s no easy task; but, it’s really worth it. If you want to get healthy, feel and look better, give it up. Trust us. It’s worth it!

• Giving up sugar will help you sleep at night.
• It’s extremely addictive.
• It can bog down your liver, tremendously, which will impact your bodies ability to metabolize fat.
• A blood sugar crash gives you that sleepy after lunch feeling, which is virtually eliminated on a sugar-free diet

There are a hundred other reasons to give up the sweet stuff. If you want to find out more, check out our podcast on sugar.

 

It’s your health, MAN UP!

Stress and Blood Pressure

Ever wonder how the daily stressors of life can impact your blood pressure? Or if there are ways that you can lower both without taking prescribed medication? Well, keep reading to find out the answer to both.

The first thing to understand is that the adrenal glands are the real factor behind blood pressure and stress being intertwined. That being said, when you become stressed, sodium fluid levels become off in-turn elevating blood pressure. The good news is that you don’t have to run off to the Doc for the latest and greatest meds to lower these levels.

Here are some tips on how you can naturally lower both.

• Take some magnesium caps before you go to sleep. We also us a cream to rub behind your legs before bed that we’ve found to be more effective.
• Meditate. Try to start with 10 minutes a day and work up from there. It’s important to make time for this. To clear your head.
• Most importantly, HYDRATE! Water is king here. Half your body weight in ounces. Yes, everyday.

That’s it. t’s your health, man up!

Blood Pressure and Stress video

My Sweet Mistress

“Rats will work for sugar water the same way they will work for cocaine. We need to take addictions seriously.”  Dr. Daniel Amen

My name is Todd Vande Hei, and I’m a sugaraholic.  Even though I’m in the health industry, I still struggle to avoid certain foods. . . . for me, it’s sugar.  I know this is a common battle amongst many; for me, I’ve been able to limit it but found myself gorging on natural foods with lots of sweets because I was attempting to keep myself from doing the same with processed sugar.

It’s really all the same.

A couple of times a week, as per my prescribed nutrition program, I would “cheat.”  My go-to food was ice cream.  Ah, ice cream.  The next day I would, inevitably, have a slight headache and look a bit puffy.  I thought it was a minor intolerance to dairy.  A few weeks ago I had a blood test done (MRT LEAP test) to check for my food sensitivities of which there are many.  The one, which really hit hard, was fructose.

For those unaware, fructose is the type of sugar found naturally in many foods, primarily fruit.  Because that food is so far reaching, I called the lab expecting them to tell me I had to avoid high-fructose corn syrup—nasty stuff; hyper-sweet, low calorie, processed food.  The lovelylady on the other end of the call explained that, no, it was ALL fructose.  You see, every time I eat fructose, according to the test, my body responds with inflammation.  That can cause a variety of symptoms.  For me, it was a mildly uncomfortable headache.  Not much fun.

As I started to consider the ramifications of avoiding fructose, I did some reading on this delicious yet deviant food (I’ll now refer to it as my mistress).  My mistress seems to be everywhere.  Speaking ever so softly, like the devil you carry around on your shoulder she is witty, persuasive, all knowing.  Found not only in fruit, but all things sweet, she is a component of sucrose (table sugar).  Think in terms of avoiding ALL processed foods with some form of sweetener.  Think about avoiding all of those wonderful NATURAL sweeteners like honey, and maple syrup (my mouth is now watering).  If it’s sweet, my mistress is there, beckoning you, ready to be devoured.  ALL FOODS THAT ARE SWEET!

Like buying a new car, and suddenly seeing that same car pop up in traffic, everywhere, my awareness of sweet things is now in a heightened state.  Enjoying slices of raw bell peppers last night (green and red), the red actually tasted sweeter.  Technically a fruit, has my mistress been there, dusting even the bell pepper with her magic?  And what about the tomato—considered by most a vegetable, but technically a fruit?  Yes and yes!

Where do I draw the line?  How faithful am I to be to the cause?  Am I to be partially pregnant with this crusade?  No!  Well, yes.  I’ve decided that it’s ok to enjoy foods where she’s only a mere memory, a shade of her once powerful and virile self:  bell peppers, tomatoes, avocados, etc.  If I can’t taste her sweetness, I’ve found I don’t find myself at the bottom of that slippery slope; at the empty bag of gluten-free ginger snaps or the shiny, wet bottom of a pint of Chubby Hubby Ice Cream, only to search the kitchen for more.

Goodbye to her forever!  We’ve broken up.  As a slap in the face, she’s left me with weeks of pain:  missing her (mostly at night), depression, anxiety, fatigue, and headaches.  It has been just over a week without her, and I’m now just a shadow of my old self with only sheer determination and the hope of being a better man for my wife, my children and my business.  According to the experts, those symptoms may last as long as a few weeks and may also disrupt your sleep.  The reasons?  There are many; however, to sum it up, it’s like a drug addiction, as Dr. Amen put it.  As such, I decided to cut her out of my life completely.  Be tough about it.  The “manly” approach.  That may not be the wisest course of action, considering the withdrawal symptoms.  You may prefer a more systematic approach:  ditch the processed foods, and then go for the natural versions you’ll find in maple syrup, honey and high-glycemic fruit.  For me, I’m trying to break myself of the memory of her sweetness, or at least to not crave her so.

Although, I’ve given my mistress a firm “good bye,” I still find her in my thoughts:  at a traffic light, while reading, certainly while cooking, at work, doing homework with the kids.  She’s just a whisper now, but still powerful:  “indulge—I will help raise your serotonin levels; your growth hormone production will increase if you have me in the evenings; I’ll wake your thyroid up, just a little; you’ll be able to stop this time; you need to put a little bit of weight on; you need to replenish the glycogen stores in your muscles; a little 85% cocoa organic dark chocolate won’t hurt; it’s the weekend; or, it’s Monday.”  She is relentless using all of the logic, all of my knowledge and expertise against me, trying to justify rekindling my relationship.  The truth is, I want her back, even though I know she’s not good for me.

That’s where you, my friends, come in.  I need community support.  “Alone you go quickly; together we go far,” I can’t recall the author in my lack-o-sugar withdrawal induced fog, but it was certainly not me.

Help!  Let’s build some walls to keep her out; she’s after us all!  I know I’m not alone.    The rules are here:

• 30 days, starting April 1(start slow or jump in like me)
• No natural high-glycemic foods like honey or maple syrup
• No sugar substitutes
• No fruit juices

So, let’s get together, share our victories, support each other through defeats.  Post your thoughts, how you feel, share your ideas.  Below are some great reasons for you to seize the day and man up!

78 Reasons to Avoid Sugar

Straight from the writings of Dr. Victor Frank, founder/creator of Total Body Modification, here are 78 reasons to avoid sugar.

1. Sugar can suppress the immune system.

2. Sugar can upset the body’s mineral balance.

3. Sugar can cause hyperactivity, anxiety, concentration difficulties, and crankiness in children.

4. Sugar can drowsiness and decreased activity in children.

5. Sugar can adversely affect children’s school grades.

6. Sugar can produce a significant rise in triglycerides.

7. Sugar contributes to a weakened defense against bacterial infection.

8. Sugar can cause kidney damage.

9. Sugar can reduce helpful high density cholesterol.

10. Sugar can promote an elevation of harmful cholesterol.

11. Sugar may lead to chromium deficiency.

12. Sugar may cause copper deficiency.

13. Sugar interferes with absorption of calcium and magnesium.

14. Sugar may lead to cancer of the breast, ovaries, prostate, and rectum.

15. Sugar can cause colon cancer with an increased risk in women.

16. Sugar can be a risk factor in gall bladder cancer.

17. Sugar can increase fasting levels of blood glucose.

18. Sugar can weaken eyesight.

19. Sugar raises the level of a neurotransmitter called serotonin, which can narrow blood vessels.

20. Sugar can cause hypoglycemia.

21. Sugar can produce acidic stomach.

22. Sugar can raise adrenaline levels in children.

23. Sugar can increase the risk of coronary heart disease.

24. Sugar can speed the aging process, causing wrinkles and gray hair.

25. Sugar can lead to alcoholism.

26. Sugar can produce tooth decay.

27. Sugar can contribute to weight gain and obesity.

28. High intake of sugar increases the risk of Crohn’s disease and Ulcerative Colitis.

29. Sugar can case a raw, inflamed intestinal tract in person with gastric or duodenal ulcers.

30. Sugar can cause arthritis.

31. Sugar can cause asthma.

32. Sugar can cause candidiasis (yeast infection).

33. Sugar can lead to the formation of gallstones.

34. Sugar can lead to the formation of kidney stones.

35. Sugar can cause ischemic heart disease.

36. Sugar can cause appendicitis.

37. Sugar can exacerbate the symptoms of multiple sclerosis.

38. Sugar can indirectly cause hemorrhoids.

39. Sugar can cause varicose veins.

40. Sugar can elevate glucose and insulin responses in oral contraception users.

41. Sugar can lead to periodontal disease.

42. Sugar can contribute to osteoporosis.

43. Sugar contributes to saliva acidity.

44. Sugar can cause a decrease in insulin sensitivity.

45. Sugar leads to a decreased glucose tolerance.

46. Sugar can decrease growth hormone.

47. Sugar can increase total cholesterol.

48. Sugar can increase systolic blood pressure.

49. Sugar can change the structure of protein causing interference with protein absorption.

50. Sugar causes food allergies.

51. Sugar can contribute to diabetes.

52. Sugar can cause toxemia during pregnancy.

53. Sugar can contribute to eczema in children.

54. Sugar can cause cardiovascular disease.

55. Sugar can impair the structure of DNA.

56. Sugar can cause cataracts.

57. Sugar can cause emphysema.

58. Sugar can cause atherosclerosis.

59. Sugar can cause free radical formation in the bloodstream.

60. Sugar lowers the enzymes’ abilities to function.

61. Sugar can cause the loss of tissue elasticity and function.

62. Sugar can cause liver cells to divide, increasing the size of the liver.

63. Sugar can increase the amount of fat in the liver.

64. Sugar can increase kidney size and produce pathological changes in the kidney.

65. Sugar can overstress the pancreas, causing damage.

66. Sugar can increase the body’s fluid retention.

67. Sugar can cause constipation.

68. Sugar can cause myopia (nearsightedness).

69. Sugar can compromise the lining of the capillaries.

70. Sugar can cause hypertension.

71. Sugar can cause headaches, including migraines.

72. Sugar can cause an increase in delta, alpha, and theta brain waves, which can alter the mind’s ability to think clearly.

73. Sugar can cause depression.

74. Sugar can increase insulin responses in those consuming high-sugar diets compared to low-sugar diets.

75. Sugar increases bacterial fermentation in the colon.

76. Sugar can cause hormonal imbalance.

77. Sugar can increase blood platelet adhesiveness, which increases risk of blood clots.

78. Sugar can increase the risk of Alzheimer’s Disease.

Macronutrient Timing for Higher Energy Levels

Do you want to have higher energy levels and better brain function throughout the day? Get your macronutrient timing (when and what you eat) down and you’ll feel and see the effects it has.

Through the use of macronutrient timing, we are able to get our clients to perform better, sleep more soundly, and even train harder. Another one of the key benefits of this type of nutrition program is that it actually stabilizes your blood sugar which is the foundation reaping the benefits of MT. Basically what I’m telling you is, you gotta EARN your carbs.

Without any type of physical activity and the ingestion of carbohydrates the likeliness of  you getting fat is…well, it’s really high. That being said, we arrive at one of the largest misconceptions in the “diet” world. Eating carbs first thing in the morning. Lets say a big bowl of oatmeal with some bananas on it is a great way to start your day, right?  Yeah, if your day ends two hours after you ate that oatmeal and bananas because you are going to want to go right back to bed. Why you ask? Because your insulin just spiked and crashed before you even got to your second cup of joe and dare I say it, you’re toast.

The way we have our clients start their day and wake those sleepy brains is with some good fats and protein. This not only helps fuel the brain for the day, but also will stabilize your blood sugar at the same time and you’ll be setting your self up for the rest of the day.

From there, we keep it pretty simple with a paleo style lunch of protein and vegetables which will keep your blood sugar stable and brain active. Come dinner time, assuming you’ve had your workout by now it’s time to help your body calm down with some carbs.

Because of the fact your insulin goes up when you consume carbohydrates and will crash back down shortly after having them with dinner is a perfect way to end your day, not how to begin it.

All of this being said, we’re not the carb police over here, but have found that if you time them appropriately, they’re your best friend. Get it wrong though and you’ll wish you had another month to get ready for summer.

Macronutrient Timing Video.

Man up! It’s your health!

Vitamin-C. Not Just For When You’re Sick.

As you may or may not already know there are a lot of benificial uses for vitamin-c. This sucker is also an anti-oxidant, which helps slow aging, it’s aids in adrenal health and one of the most important uses it has, especially post workout, is it’s ability to aid the body in lowering cortisol.

This is very benificial especially for those working out later in the day, say after a long day at work. Night time training, especially a intense workout will ramp up your body’s cortisol levels which will make it very difficult for your body to shut down come bed time. This is where vitamin-c comes into play.

1. Take anywhere from 2-4grams post workout pending on your tolerance.
2. Look for a vitamin-c that have bio-flavionoids and ascorbic acid.
3. Be sure not to take the vitamin-c pre workout and on non training days you can take up to 10 grams throughout the day.

 

Lastly, no, the chewy, gummy, little bears are not the kind of vitamin-c we are talking about.

The Vitamin-C Video.

…man up! It’s your health!

The Other Type of Food Sensitivity

So what exactly do we mean when we are referring to “food sensitivity” and what can you do about it? When most people hear food sensitivity they immediately think of their cousin who goes into anaphylactic shock if they ingest anything that has even been in the same room as a peanut. Well, this is a totally different type of food sensitivity that may be keeping you from reaching your fitness goals.

Some of the foods we are eating on a regular basis that we’ve all thought are good for us or in no way shape or form considered cheating on our diets, like beef for example, are actually causing internal stress on our body. Or what is also known as a inflammatory response.

Most people will find that the foods we are eating on a regular basis are the ones harming us the most. The most effective way we’ve found to identify these foods is through the MRT LEAP test. This simple blood test will tell you exactly what foods are causing your body to have this inflammatory response and by eliminating them from your diet you could see and feel dramatic changes in your body in no time! Plus, summer’s right around the corner…

It’s your health, MAN UP!

The food sensitivity video

How Making Minor Tweaks to Your Diet Can Reduce Inflammation

Did you know that you can drastically reduce the amount of inflammation in your body by making minor changes to your diet? As we get older, inflammation builds and can create a greater risk for a heart attack. Never-fear, here’s some useful tips:

• Remove omega 6 oils such as vegetable oil from your diet.
• Gluten be gone. Take Wheat out of your diet and watch the water weight fall off.
• Use butter or coconut oil to cook with.
• When you go out to eat, ask that your food is cooked in butter or olive oil.

Within two weeks you can expect to see 5-7 pounds of weight loss and all from removing these inflammatory foods!

Remember, it’s your health. . . . man up!

A Video about Inflammation

Three Simple Holiday Tips For Your Health

Peeling yourself out of bed with much more difficulty, dark circles under your eyes, your heart seems to be banging with a little more energy this time of the year, and you feel overwhelmed by all of the additional “stuff” you need to handle on top of your day job. And, you were at a party late last night (a little too much to drink), up early with the kids this morning.

We all deal with much more stress this time of the year than any other. It’s common knowledge that stress directly impacts our health. That health impact reveals itself in how we feel: we seem to get sick more easily, we store more body fat, our energy levels are lower, we don’t sleep as well, we’re “edgier,” and some of us suffer from depression (even more so) during the holidays. Eating and drinking at parties as well as the emotional strain of lost loved-ones, family conflict, divorce are all heightened during this time. That additional strain as well as all of the parties are to be blamed; however, we believe much of it is purely a physiological stress response.

Here are some simple holiday tips to help you with your stress:

1) A supplement: take Serenagen. It’s great for dealing with stress; it calms you down without making you groggy.

2) Nutrition: add more berries to your diet. They’re high in antioxidants. This is true for any dark skinned fruits.

3) Don’t change your exercise regimen. Most people stop working out, which is one of the worst things you can do. Some workout more to offset the added booze and holiday deserts. Don’t change a thing during this time. The absence of exercise will lower your insulin sensitivity, increasing the odds you’ll store the carbs you’re eating as fat. However, exercise is stress. By adding more exercise then you typically do, you could, in fact, be “adding fuel to the fire.”

4) Lifestyle change: meditate for 10 minutes a day.

Remember, it’s your health. . . . man up!

Holiday Tips For Your Health Video

Alcohol, Your health, and the Holiday Season

I know I’ve recently written about this topic, but there are some additional points I’d like to make on the topic of alcohol as it should be a major health consideration with all of the upcoming holiday parties. There are many opinions shared in the media on the effects of alcohol on your health. Some report that there are medicinal benefits, others paint a contradictory picture. The following are some of my opinions.

Alcohol is a toxin and slows health and fitness progress. When we get clients to cut it out completely, even for 30 days, they get results right away. With very few exceptions, those clients who drink regularly and refuse to change their alcohol consumption don’t experience the typical rapid transformation at Stark.

Cutting it from your lifestyle will carry with it many benefits, both long and short-term. Here’s a simple tip on how to be social through the holidays, surrounded by friends with drinks: make sure you always have a tumbler in your hand with water, ice, a lime and a stir stick. You’ll never get the peer pressure you’ll otherwise experience. The fact that you’re not drinking will never even enter the conversation.

Reasons to completely avoid alcohol:

1. Sleep – alcohol induces sleep but then wakes you up; research shows you will sleep less and eat more the next day.
2. Growth hormone will be blunted up to 75%–think of it like drinking from the “fountain of old”
3. Sex hormone levels will plummet. Alcohol is toxic to the testes. Testosterone levels in men will drop even with a drink or two a day. As you get older, it’s common to have lower testosterone levels; alcohol will exacerbate that problem.
4. Liver toxicity – because of all of the processed foods and toxins to which we’re exposed, many of us have underperforming livers without alcohol. With that in mind, your liver metabolizes fat, making it harder to lose body fat with every year that passes. Again, alcohol will only make your problem worse. Further, it can also lead to impotence, taking some of your cheer out of your holiday–no more naughty Santa.

For the drinkers (if you have to do it, here’s the best way):
1) Stop early in the evening to minimize the impact on your sleep
2) Eat proteins and fats, after, to try to stabilize blood sugar
3) Avoid sugary drinks (wine, sodas, etc)
4) Avoid beer because of its heavy gluten content

For more details on this topic and others go to www.blogtalkradio.com/starkradio. And remember, it’s your health–man up!