Why We Need to Supplement Our Diet - Part 1

The human body manufactures about 100,000 different chemicals. There are about 90 essential nutrients that the body does not make and must be consumed. Under certain conditions such as disease states the non-essential nutrients may become essential. These essential nutrients supply the body with enzymes and co-factors which run most of our biochemical pathways in the body. These nutrients include vitamin, minerals, essential fatty acids, amino acids, and specific plant compounds. The following contribute to nutritionally related diseases:

*Nutritional Deficiencies:
Deficiency disease states result from not consuming enough of a specific nutrient to prevent a nutrient dependent disease. This would include "scurvy" from a vitamin C deficiency, "beri beri" lack of thiamine (B1), and protein/calorie malnutrition as seen in starvation we see in third world countries called "kwashiorkor".

*Undernutrition/Overconsumption:
This results in diseases not only from nutritional deficiencies, but also the opverconsumption of too much saturated fat, sugar, alcohol, and white refined products. These disorders can manifest themselves as heart disease, diabetes, obesity, cancer, hypertension, osteoporosis, arthrtitis, etc.

*Genotrophic Disease:
This refers to poor nutrition which does not meet the unique demands of our genes resulting in poor function and disease. The way our genes express themselves in health or disease is mostly influenced by our environment (lifestyle, diet, exercise, stress) according to The Human Genome Project. Research is showing that genes can be turned on and off like a switch depending on what we do to them. We are all biochemically unique and require different levels of nutirents for optimal functioning. This new field of nutrition is called Nutrigenomics which is the study of the interaction of diet and genes.

Tom Mantos
(732) 219-9636
www.MetabolicNutrition.Meta-ehealth.com

Runners Should Watch the Weather

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - People who regularly run should watch the weather and know how to prevent weather-related injury, say sports doctors.

The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) now recommends that before heading outside, runners should check the temperature to prevent heat exhaustion, heatstroke, hypothermia (core body temperature below 97 degrees Fahrenheit), and frostbite during running.

The group's newest revised Position Stand, "Heat and Cold Illnesses During Long-Distance Running" appears in the journal Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise. The statement is meant for medical directors and race officials of distance running events involving elite athletes, and for outdoor events involving recreational joggers. But its recommendations also apply to competitive cyclists, soccer players, and triathletes.

Noting that "the health status of participants varies from day to day," the statement cautions that "compliance with these recommendations will not guarantee protection from environmentally induced illnesses."

The report points out that dehydration is common among participants in prolonged endurance events in both hot and cold weather conditions. It encourages runners to replace fluids lost through sweat by consuming 5 to 10 ounces of fluid every 15 minutes.

It notes that on extremely hot days, on average between 3% and 10% of participants need treatment for heat-related illnesses, such as heat exhaustion (fatigue, sometimes collapse, caused by overexposure to heat), and heatstroke (a life-threatening disorder caused by a breakdown of the body's heat-regulating mechanisms).

To avoid heat exhaustion and heat stroke, the ACSM says runners should be adequately fed; drink fluids before, during, and after exercise; and should get themselves used to running in hot climates by training over several days, gradually increasing exercise intensity in the heat. Runners should not exercise if they have an on-going illness, respiratory infection (cold or flu), diarrhea, vomiting, or fever.

As to hypothermia, recommendations include wearing several layers of light, loose clothing that insulates the skin with trapped air. Areas of the body that lose large amounts of heat3head, neck, legs, and hands—should be covered.

Frostbite occurs when fluids in the skin crystallize after exposure to subfreezing temperatures. It can occur within seconds of exposure, says the report, depending on wind speed, air temperature, and body insulation. The ACSM statement says runners can avoid frostbite and hypothermia in cold windy conditions by dressing adequately and protecting themselves against wet skin and clothing.

"Running is enjoyed by more than 20 million people of all ages and fitness levels. By following the recommendations outlined above, runners can help ensure they cross the finish line, rather than be carried over it," says the ACSM.

What is Hypertension?

Hypertension is a condition characterized by high blood pressure. According to the National Institutes of Health, high blood pressure generally includes:
1.) Systolic blood pressure that is consistenly higher than 140. Systolic blood pressure is the "top" number of a blood pressure measurement, which represents the pressure generated when the heart beats.
2.) Diastolic blood pressure that is consistenly higher than 90. Diastolic blood pressure is the "bottom" number of your blood pressure measurement, which represents the pressure in the vessels when the heart is at rest.
Hypertension affects approximately 50 million Americans, or one in four adults. Unless severe, hypertension is generally not accompanied by any symptoms. However, it is a serious condition that can greatly increase one's risk of having a heart attack or stroke. The following risk factors are associated with hypertension:
Genetic predisposition or family history of hypertension
African-American descent
Excessive alcohol consumption
Excessive sodium intake
Sedentary lifestyle
Obesity
Depression
Anxiety

Lifestyle adjustments and other functional medicine approaches have been shown to prevent and reduce the risk factors of hypertension. These include - but are not limited to - maintaining a healthy body composition (muscle-to-fat ratio), reducing salt intake, exercising regularly, limiting alcohol consumption, and eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables. - courtesy of Metagenics

Boosting Your Immune System With Tea

Research has shown for years that drinking tea has many health benefits. Most people are aware that teas – specifically those that are green, oolong, white and black – supply antioxidants to the body, but what antioxidants are we referring to? Well, for the most part, these previously mentioned teas contain flavonoids (a class of water-soluble plant pigments), and they contain one in particular called catechins. So now you’re probably thinking, “what the heck is a catechin?” Well, catechins are one of the most powerful in the polyphenol family. Tea contains four main catechin substances, one of which is about 25-100 times more potent than vitamins C and E. In fact, research has stated that one cup of green tea provides 10-40 mg of polyphenols and has antioxidant effects greater than a serving of broccoli, spinach, carrots, or strawberries. The high antioxidant activity of these teas makes it beneficial for protecting the body from oxidative damage due to free radicals which helps the body ward off dis-ease (heart disease, cancers, inflammation, etc.).

Another consideration is quality. It is quite possible for store bought tea to be good. If a customer chooses loose leaf over tea bags, they greatly improve their chances of getting quality. Tea bags are generally bad because the quality of the tea in the bag is generally poor - having a significant impact on taste (flat, bitter). Shelf life is another matter of importance. If kept properly, tea leaves can be kept fresh for a long time - but quality does diminish - how long has that tea been sitting on the shelf? That's why I will use places likeAsbury Park Roastery who works with tea suppliers who are passionate about what they do - in turn, they are able to provide fine quality loose leaf organic teas to their customers. They handle and store the tea properly to maintain that quality and they also know how long it has been sitting on the shelf. Equally important is they are available to assist and guide - can't buy that at the store. Oh, and one more thing, organic is more significant when it comes to tea versus coffee. The image of someone spraying pesticide on a leaf, then saying, 'here, go put this in hot water for a few minutes and drink it.'

Here is a quick description of the four teas mentioned here in the article:

White Tea - buds are plucked before they are open, allowed to wither, then they are dried
Green Tea (unfermented) - leaves are dried, and then heat-treated to stop fermentation
Oolong Tea (semi-fermented) - leaves are wilted, then allowed to go through brief period of fermentation
Black Tea (fermented) - leaves are withered, rolled, fermented and then dried

Where Does Fat Go When You Lose It?

The first thing to remember is that muscle and fat are two different substances, such that one can not be converted into the other. You need to lose fat and build the muscle. Fat is stored in fat cells (adipocytes) which are located all over the body. Depending on factors such as hormones, genetics, and blood sugar regulation you may have more fat cells in certain areas of the body. You have two different body types when it comes to fat cell location upper body heavy (apple shape)and lower body heavy (pear shape). You are born with a certain number of fat cells which you are stuck with. Having said that there are special occasions when these fat cells can multiply. This can happen first in the womb if mom gains way too much weight, you are overfed as a kid in the growing years, pregnancy, and in extreme obesity. So when we lose or gain fat we do not change the number of fat cells only there size. So the fat cells can increase or shrink like a sponge, but the number remains the same.
Lets take a journey and follow the fat to see where it goes when we lose it. The body primarily uses fat for fuel during our normal physical activities or during prolonged aerobic type activities. When the body needs fatty acids for fuel it is transported out of the fat cell and makes its first stop at the liver. The liver has to breakdown these long chain fatty acids (beta-oxidation) into short little 2 carbon fatty acids (Acetyl-CoA) so it can be easily used as fuel. The next step in our journey transports these short little fatty acids (Acetyl-CoA) to the area of the cell that uses these fats for energy or fuel. The part of the cell that does this is the mitochondria which is the powerhouse of the cell. The mitochondria produces all our energy needs for the muscles to work, brain and heart to function. We can increase the number of mitchondria by increasing muscle mass and aerobic capacity. Now we have more engines to burn more fat for fuel. Once the little fatty acid is transported into the mitochondria it goes into a system called the Kreb Cycle which burns up the fatty acids (oxidation) and produces energy. That's where the fat goes.


Tom Mantos
(732) 219-9636
www.MetabolicNutrition.Meta-ehealth.com

Gluten Free Strawberry Muffins

Here's a very easy to make gluten free recipe that makes 12 nutritionally dense and tasty muffins.

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees

In a large bowl, mix the following dry ingredients:

1 1/2 cups of Arrow Mills gluten free pancake mix
1/2 cup of brown rice flour
1/2 cup organic ground flax seed
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2/3 cup raw sugar

After mixing well, add:

1 container (6 ounces) of Chobani strawberry yogurt
2 tablespoons of Smart Balance Butter
4 ounces of soy, almond or coconut milk
10-12 defrosted frozen strawberries (microwave for 2:30 minutes before adding to mixture)

Blend all ingredients in the large bowl until mixed well.

Spray a muffin tin with oil and fill 12 cups with the mixture and bake for 20 minutes. Let cool on a rack and enjoy.

Note: If you prefer, blueberries can be substituted for the strawberries both in the yogurt and fruit.

Grab one or two of these and add a yogurt and you have a great start to your day or a mid-day snack.

Fred Fornicola

Fast Food for Your Health

I bet you if I titled this article “Fast Food Kills” you probably wouldn’t have even attempted to look at it, but all you fast food junkies are here to see if in some small way I was going to justify eating at Mickey D’s, right? Well……………………..NO!

Let’s take a look at an average American meal at a fast food establishment such as McDonald’s (I just can’t call a place that serves what they serve a “restaurant”). A meal consisting of 1 Big Mac, 1 order of regular fries and a vanilla triple thick shake to wash it down. According to our food pyramid, it sounds like we have the makings of a solid meal here, right? We’ve got our meat from the burger, our dairy from the shake, bread & potatoes come from our bun and fries and some vegetables from the lettuce (which is ice berg and provides 0 nutritional value) and tomato.

Now, let’s evaluate what this meal entails as far as calories and the macronutrient breakdown. Not adding in any additional condiments like ketchup to dip the fries and extra “fixings” that may be added, this meal consists of the following:

Big Mac: 33 grams of fat, 47 grams of carbohydrates and 24 grams of protein = 580 kcals

Small Order of Fries: 10 grams of fat, 26 grams of carbs and 3 grams of protein = 209kcals

vanilla Triple Thick Shake: 12 grams of fat, 76 grams of carbs and 11 grams of protein = 430 kclas.

Total for this meal: 55g of fat / 140g of carbohydrates (mainly simple) / 38g of protein, totaling a whopping 1,219 calories!!!!

If you are one who frequents Mickey D’s or their equivalent, hopefully you are sitting back in your seat and thinking WOW! Do I eat that many calories at one time? Do I consume that much fat (which by the way totaled over 20 grams of saturated fat)? Do I eat that many useless carbohydrates at one time?

What most people fail to realize is that not only are they consuming way too many calories, but that most of what they eat provides very little in the way of any nutritional value. I learned a long time ago that eating healthy means more than just “not eating junk”. Your body needs to consume nutrient dense foods daily to assist in fighting diseases such as type II Diabetes, heart disease (the #1 killer in America), stroke, cancer, etc. By ignoring these facts and having the opinion that “it won’t happen to me” increases the possibilities of acquiring a disease due to poor eating habits and lack of exercise. Considering the likelihood that this would never happen to you has made these diseases intangible in your mind, merely a “scare tactic” to encourage you to eat for your health. Hey, we all where the big “S” (referring to Superman) on our chest at times and think that we are indestructible to some degree, but the reality of it all is that we are not and as soon as you realize that proper eating and exercise will benefit your overall health you will be better off.

Don’t keep trying to out run the bullet, it very well may catch you one day………


Fred Fornicola

What is Functional Medicine?

The term “functional medicine” was coined in 1993 to describe the medicine of the future.1 In fact, today, many complementary and alternative medicine, or CAM, practitioners use a functional medicine approach that includes the following:

1. Patient uniqueness: Each individual is unique. This uniqueness encompasses voluntary activities, such as decision-making, personality development, and emotional response, and involuntary activities like metabolism of nutrients, cellular processing of information, and communication among the body’s organ systems. Functional medicine professionals realize that all individuals have unique metabolic patterns that affect their health needs and thus, the concept of individuality is central to every aspect of functional medicine, from clinical assessment and diagnosis to the broad spectrum of treatment modalities.

Patient-centered approach: Functional medicine practitioners use a patient-centered approach to support wellness. This means that in addition to considering the overall health of the patient, functional medicine practitioners consider the beliefs, attitudes, and motivations, as well as the physical, mental, and emotional aspects, of the patient.

Preventive care: Optimal health is not just the absence of disease. Even the most minor symptoms can foreshadow more serious conditions later in life. This often happens via the “snowball effect,” in which a “minor” imbalance within the body produces a cascade of biological triggers that can eventually lead to poor health and chronic illness. For this reason, functional medicine focuses on the prevention, instead of just the treatment of, even the most minor imbalances.2

Through changes in lifestyle, environment, and nutrition, functional medicine professionals rely on their knowledge of key physiological, genetic, and biochemical processes for establishing an innovative form of total patient wellness amidst the diversity of interests in health care today.1

References
The Institute for Functional Medicine. (n.d.). Retrieved March 25, 2002, from http://www.fxmed.com/aboutus/about-frame.html
GSDL Functional Medicine. (n.d.). Retrieved March 25, 2002, from http://www.gsdl.com/gsdl/functional_med.html

Information courtesy of Metagenics