Entries Tagged 'Keys To Wellness' ↓

Carbohydrates “The Good” “The Bad” “The Ugly”

Trendy, fad diets such as the Southbeach and Atkins have left the vast majority of the population completely confused on the amount and type of carbohydrates to consume each day. Despite what these diets have taught the population about cutting carbs, carbohydrates are a very important part of energy production and a healthy diet.

There is no doubt that “Bad Carbs” are contributing to chronic disease in the United States and around the world including:

• The obesity epidemic
• Diabetes
• Heart disease
• High cholesterol
• Cancers
• Ultimately mortality

Alleviating “Bad Carbs” from your diet and choosing “Good Carbs” is the key to weight loss and feeling your best. Understanding how to make these choices at the grocery store is crucial.

“The Good”

• Unprocessed carbohydrates in their natural state
• Fruits
• Vegetables
• Legumes and beans
• Whole grain breads, cereals, and pastas
• Brown Rice
• Metabolized slowly and increase your glycogen stores
• Substained, natural energy
• High in fiber
• Nutrient dense
  

“The Bad”
“The Ugly”

• Refined, processed, altered, bleached, enriched carbohydrates
• White flour products
• White sugar products
• White breads
• Sugary cereals
• Sodas
• Candies
• Spike blood sugar levels
• Rapidly absorbed stimulating insulin release and fat synthesis
• Low nutrient density
• Lead to obesity and chronic diseases
  

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10 Compelling Reasons Why Functional Training

Will Lead to Better Muscular Balance and Improved Performance

Functional training involves exercises that train movements, working several muscle groups at once. The goal is to mimic real life situations that will convey to daily activities or sports.

Life doesn’t happen in the isolated planes used in a traditional body building regimen or on a standard resistance training machine that isolates one muscle group.

In addition, we sit in cars all day, at the desk, on the couch, so it’s not a great idea to train sitting in a machine with a back rest.

Functional training uses weight bearing activities that target the core muscles and emphasizes the bodies natural ability to move in three anatomical planes of motion. Focusing on six patterns of movement in a persons daily life;

• Squat
• Lunge
• Push
• Pull
• Twist
• Bend

Using little equipment such as:

• Cables
• Bosu balls
• Stability balls
• Kettle bells
• Medicine balls
• Resistance bands
• Etc.

The benefits of a functional training program are tremendous!

1. Improved muscular balance and joint stability.

2. Increase Core stability.

3. Improved neuromuscular coordination.

4. Save time working several muscle groups at once.

5. Improve your posture.

6. Prevent injury.

7. Improve balance.

8. Workout anywhere using body weight and little equipment.

9. Sport specific training.

10. Functional training movements can be done in an almost endless number of variations forcing your body to acclimate.

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Eating Organic May Promote Weight Loss

An organic diet may promote weight loss because you are not ingesting unnatural ingredients and chemicals that sabotage your hunger levels and slow your metabolism.

In 1960 obesity was not an epidemic in the United States. In addition, foods did not contain:

• Growth hormones
• MSG
• High fructose corn syrup
• Olestra
• Aspartame
• Saccharine
• Splenda
• etc.

An update in 2008 reported 32.1% of adults in the United States ages 20-74 were obese and 97.1 million American adults are overweight. Contributing factors range from imbalances in caloric intake, energy expenditure and sedentary lifestyles.

But new research is showing how synthetic chemicals may be the underlining issue to the obesity epidemic. The stored chemicals disrupt our body’s natural abilities to send signals when you are full or hungry, causing over eating and weight gain.

The Solution May Start with Eating “Real Food” Free of Carcinogens.

On an organic diet your body is able to filter out built up toxins and free radicals that cause damage at the cellular level. Thus, keeping our bodily functions healthy and efficient.

You will look and feel your best by choosing organic foods with no:

• Synthetic pesticides
• Synthetic herbicides
• Growth hormones
• Preservatives or additives
• Genetically engineered seeds
• or any other ingredients from Mars.

In addition, organic foods have a dramatically higher concentration of nutrients, antioxidants and vitamins.

This is because of:

• Improved ecology
• Farm biodiversity
• No irradiation
• Enriched drought resistant soil
• Less soil erosion
• and less groundwater pollution.

Give your body what it deserves and your body will thank you.
Remember to go for food that is minimally processed with 10 or less ingredients and close to its natural state.

Cheers to feeling good!

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