Sport Fitness & Physique

Archive for the ‘Health and Wellness’ Category

What makes us hungry in the first place?

Don't we have anything good to eat?

Have you ever wondered why we get cravings?

When you’re hungry….do you know what you’re really hungry for?

Are you hungry for magnesium?  -for L-lysine? -for niacin? -for eicosapentaenoic acid?

See -your body need all sorts of fatty acids, vitamins, minerals, water and nutrients to do its job.  And, when the blood stream is lacking the necessary ingredients for nourishment, the brain releases a flood of hormones to prepare the digestive system for food.  This preparatory period is when we typically say our ‘stomach is growling.’

The hormones initiated in the hypothalamus prime your stomach and your intestines to begin secreting digestive fluids. These digestive fluids are absolutely necessary for proper digestion and nutrient absorption because without them…. whatever food is eaten isn’t properly digested and the body never gets the nutrition it really needs.

This can be we a problem for many of us.

Remember the old saying… ‘Use it or Lose it?’

Because of the lack of fresh, whole foods in the typical western diet -and because of the abundant processed foods that many consume, people have grown deficient in the appropriate digestive fluids…. and that’s a real problem!

Remember…. when the body is lacking nutrients in the blood stream, the brain sends out the ‘hunger signal’ and that rumbling in your tummy begins. You start foraging for food because you think your belly is empty ...Not True!

You don’t need that slice of (whatever you just grabbed)!  You might only be deficient in a few key nutrients….

You don’t need more food!  -You simply need to digest the fresh, whole food you’ve just eaten more efficiently!

Do you see how this can easily spiral out of control?

You think you’re hungry, so you eat what’s close or what’s convenient ….and maybe that’s enough …and maybe it’s not.  Most likely, it’s not. Most likely, whatever you just ate is not what you need -but rather what ‘sounded good’ at the moment.  Soon you will be hungry again -because your body is still lacking the essential nutrients it needs.

If our diets lack what we need ….then we will always feel hungry, dissatisfied, sick, tired, cranky, moody ….and we’ll have cravings for food that isn’t what we need –but food that temporarily makes us ‘feel better.’

Food can do both….

Food can make us happy, healthy, energetic and satisfied…

Or….food can make us ‘feel good’ ….but only temporarily…then we feel guilty, fat, ugly, kind of sick, tired and eventually ….unhappy, unsatisfied and the cycle begins again.

Without the appropriate digestive fluids, the body is not receiving the nutrition it needs to function optimally.

But of course -we have the solution!

Let’s repair your digestive system so you are able to absorb all the nutrients your body needs.

Complete our Assessment Survey and I will send you a FREE Test Kit.

The test is simple, painless and quick.

In just a few days you will know if your digestive system is working properly and the simple action you can take to repair it.

Click here to take the SportFit Assessment survey

I look forward to helping you achieve the good health you need and deserve.

To your Good Health!

Paul D'Arcy NSCA, CPT, Poliquin certified BioSignature Practitioner

How much change is needed in your habits -to improve your health? – in your exercise routine -to improve your physique?  How much change is needed in your spending habits -to increase your wealth? And how much change is needed in your attitude -to increase your happiness?
Or here’s a better question…How much change is needed in your life -to increase your positive impact on the world?

How much?

How much change -is enough?

~~Not as much change as you think!

Just as a steady drip -becomes a trickle…

And a trickle -slowly becomes a stream..

Small Consistent Effort over Time...

And a stream -slowly and steadily carves its way through soil, sand and stone to become its own riverbed…

You too -only need  make small, simple and manageable changes to become your own raging river of health, wealth and happiness…leaving a sea of positive change in your wake and upon this earth.

What one small thing  -what one small change are you willing to make today -that will begin to carve the path of your own unique -yet mighty riverbed?

How much is Enough?

Just enough….that’s all    -Just enough.

Change just a little -change just enough…to begin carving your own unique path.

You can do it…and I am waiting here to help you.

Let me help.

To Your Good Health!

Paul D'Arcy NSCA, CPT, Poliquin certified BioSignature Practitioner

Maybe you know this….

Fish Stories

Maybe you’ve heard it -but you just aren’t convinced yet.

Or maybe you have no idea…

In any case -I’m going to say it again… Because it really is that important.
You really need to eat more fish!

And if fish really isn’t that appealing to you, simply supplement your diet with a high quality fish oil to receive the same benefits .

Long life and good health depend on it!

Regular fish consumption has long been associated with long life and good health.  Adopting a Mediterranean Diet has proven to be a very effective dietary strategy for those seeking to lower their blood pressure and reduce their overall cholesterol.  Obviously, not everyone is going to be able to tolerate eating fish on a regular basis. Luckily, we can receive the same benefits without the fish.  After all, it isn’t the fish as much as what the fish provides.

Scientists and researchers have found that docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) -two fatty acids which are found in abundance in the oil of fish  -are the keys to lowering  high blood pressure, preventing  heart disease, balancing unhealthy cholesterol and lowering resting heart rate.

So if eating fish regularly isn’t your ‘thing’  -all we need to do is add a quality fish oil supplement to our diet that contains these two beneficial fatty acids to reap the benefits of a diet high in fish consumption.

Fish oil has gone from ‘alternative’ to mainstream medicine these last few years, but surprisingly many people are still not taking advantage of this wonderful health supplement.

People are either unaware of the many benefits of fish oil -or they have just not made the leap to actually incorporate this supplement into their daily routine. And that’s a real shame, because fish oil has so many wonderful benefits that are just too good to pass up.

In addition to all the heart-healthy benefits associated with regular fish consumption, numerous clinical studies involving hundreds of thousands of patients have found that daily consumption of fish -or just a high quality fish oil supplement -can delay or even reverse the effects of Alzheimer’s Disease and late-life dementia.

In my own experience and from the experience of my family, friends and clients -I can also attest to the wonderfully ‘brain boosting’ effects of daily DHA and EPA consumption.  In addition, we find that our moods are generally more cheery and our outlook is much more positive.

So how much fish is enough?

In a typical Mediterranean diet, fish is a staple food source -eaten daily and with seasonal variety.

If you can’t handle that, simply add a quality fish oil supplement to your daily routine. It’s simple, affordable and quite easy to do.

I recommend that my clients keep a bottle of quality fish oil refrigerated at home. Then, after each meal, simply take a teaspoon or two -more if you’re battling inflammation, high blood pressure or arthritis. This is the most cost effective method and it actually tastes pretty good too. Most bottled fish oils are available in either orange or lemon flavor.

Fish oil capsules -portable and more convenient

The second option is to keep a bottle of high quality fish oil capsules with you or at your place of business. The capsules generally do not need refrigeration and they are very convenient. Then, during or immediately after each meal, simply swallow two to three capsules (generally 3-5 grams total) and follow that with a tall glass of water.

That’s all it takes!

Of course you can combine these options in a multitude of ways…

You can -and really should -try to eat more fish. Fish is good food and there are so many different varieties you may have never tried.

You can also combine -eating more fish -keeping a quality fish oil at home -and keeping a container of high quality fish oil capsules at your office or place of business as well.  This way, you’re always covered and you greatly increase your chances of living a long, healthy, satisfying life.

A word of Caution:
When you purchase your fish oil, be sure to look for brands that have been “Molecularly Distilled.”

Molecular distillation is the very lowest acceptable purity grade you should accept. There are higher qualities, but of course with high quality comes cost. So if cost is an issue, be sure to demand molecular distillation in your fish oil supplements.

Molecular distillation removes the greatest amount of toxins (our oceans are polluted -and so are our fish!) without using solvents or other dangerous chemical processes.

In fact, a high quality, molecularly distilled, fish oil supplement may be the safest and most effective alternative to consuming a diet high in fish -while reaping all the wonderful benefits that the fatty acids DHA and EPA provide!

To your Good Health!

Paul D'Arcy, NSCA, CPT, Poliquin BioSignature Practitioner

Full Range of Motion Movements Relieve Pain and Muscular Tightness

If you spend a lot of time at a desk or do a lot of driving (some of you do both!) -you probably suffer from muscular stiffness, lower back pain, neck pain, headaches, poor sleep and low energy.  You may be cranky, irritable, short tempered and generally in a ‘bad mood’ for most of the day.

Doesn’t sound like a very good time.

Well, there is a solution and it doesn’t involve narcotics, surgery, over-the-counter medications or even all that much work.   In fact, the relatively small amount of effort that this solution requires can actually be a lot of fun.   You can do it at the office, at home, in the morning, in the evening, at lunch -anytime!   You don’t need any special equipment and you don’t need much room either.

You see, although muscular stiffness, lower back pain, neck pain, headaches, poor sleep and low energy all sound like separate issues stemming from different problems …they are most likely the result of  only one of two things:

Pain and Sufferring? We can help!

A.) Limited Movement and Limited Range of Motion or
B.) Chronic Overuse

-and both of these issues can be corrected simply and effectively with very little space, very little time and zero equipment.

Ready?

Let’s lay out  just one simple plan to heal your aching body.
Here is a 6 step plan to do just that.

Step one:
Take a few minutes, at least four days a week (higher frequency would be better). Lay down flat on the floor.  Just relax and feel your body settle into position. Focus on relaxing your body and relax your breathing. You should begin to feel your spine find its own neutrality.  Allow your spine to settle into alignment.

Step two:
With your hands relaxed at your sides, draw your knees up until your feet are flat on the floor.

Step three:
Keeping your back, butt and feet -flat on the floor -flex your abdominal musculature, tilting your pelvis upward towards the ceiling (or sky).  As you flex your abdominals, pinch your shoulder blades together and roll your shoulders back into the floor.  Try to completely flatten your spine using only the muscles of your trunk.  Try not to use your arms to stabilize yourself.  Hold this position for a count of 10. Relax, breathe deeply and repeat this sequence until fatigued.

Floor Work

Hip Extension - Lumbar Spinal flexion and stretch

Step four:
Keeping your back, butt and shoulder blades flat on the floor, lift your feet and draw your knees up towards your chest.  Now turn your toes up towards the sky and slowly lower your feet back to starting position (to the floor -and under control).

Step five:
Keeping your back, butt and shoulder blades flat on the floor -extend your right leg, touch your heel to the floor and then slowly raise your leg up towards the sky as far as comfortably possible. Lower your right leg and repeat the exercise with your left leg. Repeat this sequence until fatigued. All movements should be slow and controlled.

Step six:
Roll over and get up on all fours. Relax your spine, let it sway down towards the floor and stretch it out.  Then, roll your spine up and arch your back up into a hump-like position.  Allow your spine to stretch and elongate in this position. Repeat this process until fatigued.

Stretching and Rehabbing the Lumbar Spine

So that’s it….Simple, Time Saving and Effective.
You can do this short routine at home -first thing in the morning…
You can take a break at work and do this short and invigorating routine during your lunch break…
You can also relieve and revive yourself when you get home by following these simple, back saving exercises any time…night or day.

Richard Carmona, former United States Surgeon General, has stated that nearly 40-50% of cancers could be avoided by following better lifestyle and nutrition practices.

There is also a growing body of research suggesting that only 5-10% of cancers in humans are caused by genetic defects. This would seem to indicate that the vast majority of cancers are caused by environmental situations, nutritional  and behavioral patterns.

Whoa…

So what does that really mean?

Well, the good news is that this means that we can really fight cancer…on a very personal level.

We can beat cancer, we can save ourselves, our friends and our family members from the ravaging effects of that nauseously devastating, absolutely incapacitating, depressing and deadly disease of cellular corruption -(cancer) …90 to 95% of the time.

How empowering  is that, huh?

So, how do we do that?

Well, the first thing we do is avoid all the  behaviors that we know darn well increase our cancer risk:

• Avoid tobacco and tobacco products
• Avoid second-hand smoke
• Avoid alcohol in excess (daily alcohol consumption has been found to increase cancer risk by over 40%)
• Avoid processed meats (hot dogs, lunch meats etc..) and foods containing nitrates
• Avoid trans-fats and hydrogenated oils (chips, fries and fried foods)
• Avoid sugars and simple starches (cancer cells thrive is glucose-rich environments and depend on simple sugars to grow and to spread)
• Avoid excessive sun exposure (use sunscreen) and exposure to tanning beds (in 2009, the World Health Organization elevated tanning beds to its highest cancer risk category)

Next, we fortify our bodies with valuable antioxidants,  fiber,  lingans,  monoterpenes  and phytochemicals that boost our immune system -fight off disease -strengthen our cells and fight free-radicals which are known to cause cancer.

And just how do we fortify our bodies with these magical, disease fighting compounds?

Cancer Fighting Goodness

Why, by consuming copious amounts of fresh fruits and vegetables -of course! Fresh fruits and vegetables contain all of these wonderful compounds as well as plenty of water, essential minerals, nutrients and valuable fiber.

How much fruit and how many vegetables?

It’s really kind of tough to overeat fruits and especially vegetables -they are so full of goodness that they tend to fill us up pretty quickly.  However, do your best to eat servings of each at every meal. And, it is certainly a good idea to balance your consumption of both -don’t favor one over the other.

A good rule of thumb suggests that children need 4 – 6 servings of fresh fruits and vegetables a day, while adults should enjoy at least 6-8 servings  -even more for athletes and physically active individuals.

Here’s a simple strategy to remember. – It’s called the 4-P’s of cancer prevention:

1. Plants -eat more plant based foods -Like fruits and vegetables
2. Physical activity -as little as 30 minutes of brisk activity a day can greatly improve your health, shrink your waistline and reduce your risk of cancer by as much as 40%
3. Portion control -eating smaller portions throughout the day instead of a few large meals has been shown to reduce stress, balance blood glucose and help curb appetite and cravings for sweets.
4. Practical -none of these habits are going to come easily or become part of your routine unless they can be maintained. Work on the 4-P’s consistently -and over time, you will find that your life and your health have improved, while your risk of cancer has greatly decreased.

New habits are never easy to implement -but you can do it -you know you can.

Start simply and stay with it.

Decrease your odds of developing cancer -and win the battle before you have to ever fight it.

-To your Good Health!

Can you truly change your mind?

Do you even have a mind to change?

Are you sure?

Neuroscientists, neurosurgeons, brain researchers and psychologists have long held that the “mind” is simply what the brain does -that there is no separate, independent ‘thinking substance’ that we call the “I” or “me” in which (or from where) we are ultimately in control.

Our actions, attitudes, behaviors and beliefs are nothing more than neuro-chemical reactions, electronic pulsing and neurons firing (or not firing) over and over and over again.

A look inside your "mind"

Our mind is not separate from our body.

Our brain is indeed very much connected to our body (we would really be in trouble if it were not) and the brain is all we have to think with.

But does that adequately explain our experience?

I don’t know…you tell me.

If your mind really is in control of your body…can you tell me why we make some of the unhealthy choices we make?

Shouldn’t our minds ‘know better’ and do a better job of controlling our actions?

Isn’t it more likely that we eat that milk chocolate because we have come to expect and to crave the pleasurable sensations it provides?

Don’t we really eat that milk chocolate (or insert your guilty pleasure here) because of the chemical reactions that take place –namely the release of the  ‘feel good’ hormone serotonin?  I think it is.

We could probably argue about this for hours….but that’s not my point.

My point is….that real and lasting change is more about repetitive effort than it is about having some sort of magical thing called “Will Power.”

Ask anyone who has ever succeeded…at anything…and you will find that the decision to succeed was just the beginning. The work, the trial, the error, the tiny successes and the huge failures  that occur after the decision to succeed….that’s the secret to real success.

‘Changing your mind’ and changing your life -really is a change -a physical, neurological change.  And that kind of thing just doesn’t happen overnight. It takes a multiplicity of efforts to re-wire your brain and your psychology in order to succeed.

So….you’ve heard it before, but it still bears repeating:

If at first you don’t succeed -Try -Try -Again!

To your good health!

Get Stronger - Live Longer

Researchers from the University of South Carolina have found that total body strength correlates to longer life and better health.

Cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, bad cholesterol and insulin resistance are all far less likely to develop in strong, healthy bodies.

Eat Well: Fortify your body with fresh fruits, vegetables, lean meats, nuts and seeds.

Train Hard: Engage in strength training three to four days a week. Train your cardiovascular system with interval training at least twice a week.

Follow these simple tips to live a longer, healthier and happier life.

To your Good Health!

Evil versus Adversity: Can you tell the Difference?

Don’t confuse evil with adversity.

Evil (however you might define it), is like a wild animal that you cannot kill.

However, if you don’t feed evil -don’t feed into evil, soon it leaves you ….to stalk other prey.

Adversity …..Adversity is a different animal altogether.

Adversity must be attacked with everything you have …and conquered -no matter the cost.

Do not confuse the two.
~The wasted effort will certainly kill you.

Superfood or Super-Scam?

You’ve seen it, I’m sure….

You’ve heard about it -maybe on television, the radio -certainly you’ve been bombarded by the wild outrageous claims as you browse your favorite websites online.

The acai berry (pronounced “ah sigh-EE”) has been featured in countless news articles, television programs, advertisements and web promotions as an absolute super-food; capable of of miraculous healing, improved sexual function and oh yeah….you’ll drop a ton of weight by adding these little beauties to your diet too.

So is it true?

Does this magical Brazilian rain forest berry really do all that they say it does?

~What do you think?

Look, berries are good for you -No Question!

Berries are full of fabulous fiber, anti-aging antioxidants, flavorful flavonoids and all sorts of cancer fighting, waist slimming, colon cleansing goodness.

But the acai berry is no better than any other berry and it certainly isn’t the super food that many are claiming it to be.

It’s tropical, it’s pretty, it tastes good and it’s good for you. Fine, we get it.

But we also have strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, gooseberries, loganberries and they have all of the very same health benefits that the highly acclaimed acai berries have.

In fact, there are an awful lot of fresh fruits and vegetables that have even greater health benefits than the highly touted acai wonder-berry -but so what?

My point is, that while the acai is a wonderful addition to our fresh fruit and vegetable intake -it can’t replace any of the other wonderful whole foods we are eating to improve our health and wellness. And, we certainly shouldn’t be spending a fortune to get our hands on it either!

Eat your fill of wonderful berries, fresh fruits, fresh vegetables, lean meats, fresh poultry and seafood.

But don’t look for any wonder-drug, wonder-berry or super-food to improve your health.

You’ll be sadly disappointed if you do.

To your Good Health!

You really gonna eat that?

Soybeans have been in use for over 3,000 years, but they haven’t always been used as food -at least not for humans.

The Chinese first used the soybean as an inexpensive animal feed and to replenish nitrogen in the soil during crop rotation.

Soybeans were later fermented and used to make soy sauce, tempeh and natto -a popular fermented bean-like breakfast food, typically served over rice.

Fermented soybeans have very different nutritional characteristics and are actually quite healthy in comparison to the processed soybean.

Unfortunately, the processed soybeans used in products like tofu and veggie-burgers, Soy Milk and soy-based infant formulas are not very good for us at all!

These types of soy products are created by first adding calcium sulfate, magnesium sulfate or magnesium chloride to the coagulated soy-milk, allowing the mixture to curdle then pressing the mixture into blocks.

Aside from the chemical additives (which of course we don’t need), soybeans naturally contain phytates and phytates interfere with nutrient absorption in the human body.

Calcium, zinc, magnesium and iron are all essential nutrients that humans need to survive. Consuming soy inhibits the bioavailability of these essential nutrients, robbing our body of  health and wellness.

Additionally, soybeans contain isoflavones which mimic excess estrogen and can lead to estrogen-toxicity. The nasty little beans also have goitrogenic properties which interfere with proper thyroid function and trypsin inhibitors which stunt human growth.

Soy Milk and soy-based infant formulas have been linked to ADD, ADHD and Autism in infants, children and adults. Soy Milk has also been linked to exaggerated PMS symptoms in women, eczema, hives, swelling of the eyes & eyelids, generalized inflammation, Irritable Bowel Syndrome and a whole host of other nasty side-effects.

Soy is often used as an alternative protein source, but again….soy fails to deliver.

Soy protein is missing L-lysine -an essential amino acid -which makes soy protein an incomplete protein and a very poor choice in this regard.

If you seek good health -avoid the soy!

There are no benefits to soy consumption and you just don’t need the nasty side-effects.

To your Good Health!