My man, Sean Croxton with Underground Wellness, put a YouTube video out there that is ranting about Oprah’s deal with KFC. The campaign is called Unthink KFC and gives you a coupon for two pieces of grilled chicken, two sides and a biscuit. Not bad!…. FREE food!!! Right?
When you hear some of what Sean has to say, maybe it’s not such a good deal! Take a watch, then go to Oprah’s site and the Unthink site and let me know what you think.
You heard me rant about some of these things, now it’s time for someone else. Go Sean! Let me know what you think about Oprah’s role … trying to help people get free food or getting an easy dollar at our expense?
For the next 30 days, I am going to focus on not consuming any GMO crops – The No GMO Challenge, co-sponsored by Real Food Media and the Institute for Responsible Technology. I pretty much do this now, but I know I let a few things slide here and there. If you have no idea what I’m even talking about with GMO, you can go to The No GMO Challenge or Genetically Modified Organisms on wikipedia.
An interesting statistic in a press release is that:
Nearly two-thirds of products on supermarket shelves contain unlabelled
genetically modified ingredients.
This makes it very hard to avoid, if you eat process foods. Jeffrey Smith, a leading expert on the health dangers of GMOs, also has some big statements about GMO’s:
GM crops concentrate corporate control of food, increase herbicide use without increasing average yields, endanger food security, are detrimental to sustainable and organic farming, and trap farmers in a cycle of debt and dependence. They shrink biodiversity, harm beneficial insects, damage soil bacteria, contaminate non-GM varieties, and persist in the environment. The presence of self-propagating genetic pollution might outlast the effects of global warming and nuclear waste.
So I hope you help me to raise awareness about GMO’s and do your body some good, by joining the challenge.
When the Easter Bunny brings your basket this year, it could possibly be full of all your favorites chocolate treats. Since this falls under the 80/20 rule, 80% of the things right and 20% of things being naughty, this could your big 20% chocolate time.
If you want to make it even better though, you may want to encourage the Mr. E. Bunny to contract with some other companies, besides Hersey and Reeses for next year. We know there are more health benefits to dark chocolate, so you may want to focus him there.
If you haven’t tried chocolate covered blueberries, you may want to try some of them. They’re delicious and full of even more antioxidants than just the dark chocolate alone!
For those of you who want an even more exotic chocolate experience with your Easter Basket, you should try the gourmet chocolates from Vosage Chocolates. You will get a truly unique Easter Basket chocolate-fest!
Have a Happy Easter!
I’d like to welcome Marty Linclau-Miller to being a contributing author for the blog. Marty graduated from Michigan State University with a B.S. in Kinesiology (sports Medicine). His focus is on functional training and he has an intrinsic motivation to live a healthy lifestyle. Passion for getting the most out of life is what has made him who he is and helps his clients realize their full potential. He knows most of us are not training for sports, we’re training for life. He wants his clients to feel healthy and confident in their abilities. With three years of training and management experience, he is comfortable in helping people of all fitness levels.
After having job titles like Apprentice Carpenter, Subway Sandwich Artist, Door to Door Salesman, and Second Mate, becoming a fitness professional was a bit of a shift in mentality. With my new found profession I realized, that whether I am training a client or watching TV at home, my profession is forever with me. This is a good problem to have. To live a healthy lifestyle in the great United States, one has to be on guard 24/7, 365.
All of my clients are successful in their fields of work and work very hard to do so. Often our biggest hurdle is not getting them to show and work hard at the studio. The hurdle is changing their habits outside of the studio. Every day I see the things my clients are forced to fight against to live a healthy lifestyle. Because they need their food fast, they eat fast food. Because there are bills to pay, they work long into the night and eat too late (or not at all!). Because… (fill your excuse in here)… they couldn’t get their cardio in this week. Because… (find alternate excuse here)… they skipped breakfast… again.
In traveling the world a bit, I have seen many cultures. The Italians, Greeks, and Spanish for example take time every day for siesta. Wouldn’t siesta make finding a healthy lunch easy? Their culture has provided them that luxury. I ask: why are we such workaholics that we can’t even get a healthy lunch? Why has our work become more important than being healthy enough to enjoy our days off…? Having worked my fair share of 50, 60, and even 80 hour weeks I can say that, although a challenge to rival all others, one can be a workaholic and still live a healthy lifestyle.
The point is the only way to truly win the battle against our daily habits is to change our daily habits. The small things make the big difference. Spending 10 minutes to prepare your lunch and daily snacks the night before saves money and the 30 to 45 minutes you’ll need to get to your local lunch spot, eat, pay, and get back to work. Waking 15 minutes earlier allows time for a simple breakfast and ignites your metabolism so you burn more calories all day. Turning off your TV or PC early enough to get the 7 to 9 hours of sleep, recommended by the CDC, allows your brain to store valuable information and your body to repair the day’s stresses. Want some reasons to get more sleep? Check this out these suggestions to get some sleep! Got a problem with eating too many bad snack foods at home? Don’t buy them next time you are at the store. These are a few of the ways to live a healthy lifestyle that have worked for my clients and me. Have you found any that work? Need suggestions to guide you in changing your habits? Post a comment and we’ll work together to fight the battle for a healthier life.
I look forward to hearing from you!!!
You’re probably tired of seeing me write about High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS), but I got sent the YouTube spoof clip of the HFCS industry ads and had to pass it on to you. First, to give you relevance, for those of you who haven’t seen the ads or just have no idea what I’m talking about, here is High Fructose Corn Syrup Ad 1and High Fructose Corn Syrup Ad 2. It makes everything seem OK!!!
This what I was sent recently - High Fructose Corn Syrup Commercial (Spoof). It gave me a laugh, because it makes everything seem OK!!!
I’ll include this fourth YouTube clip - High-Fructose Corn Syrup Truth, Still Not Sexy, HFCS – because educate is always key. Watch all the clips and then you can make up your own mind … and hopefully laugh about it!
Let me know what side you fall on … sugar or HFCS or Nazi-ism!
According to a report from the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition that came out this week, high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is no more likely to cause obesity than sugar. I found this on WebMD in the article High-Fructose Corn Syrup’s Bad Rap Unfair?
Evidently, this conclusion was 4 years in the making. A panel was convened in 2004 and found that there was not enough evidence to support that HFCS is more likely to cause you to become obese any more than other sugars. I like the fact that at the end of the article, as if it’s a minor consideration, that it might have a link to causing heart disease and kidney disease. “Oh really! It’s like sugar (only not metabolized like sugar!)… effects my blood sugar levels… could give me heart and kidney disease… and still gives me all the wonderful calories I want to avoid… You’ve sold me!”
You may think I’m being a little unrealistic with this, but have you seen the latest marketing efforts for the HFCS industry? There’s a lot of money being spent in their Sweet Surprise campaign.
All I ask is that you keep an open mind about both sides of the evidence. This entry from CrunchGear may have you questioning the HFCS industry facts: High Fructose Corn Syrup mob tries to take down our own Doug Aamoth.
Let me know what you think: HFCS… safe? healthy? causes weight gain?
When I was a kid, I remember the when the NASA Gemini Space promoted the use of Tang as the preferred breakfast drink. It seems that the new preferred beverage would be recycled urine and sweat!
NASA’s recycled water system has gotten a lot of attention lately. The next shuttle mission is a 15-day trip to the International Space Station. One of the main items the shuttle hauls into space for these trips is huge amounts of water. With this new system, this would significantly reduce the amount of water they need to take, thus freeing up space for other things or just reducing the payload weight. The space station will be able to reuse about 93% of their water.
All the water we drink has been recycled. Nature does this naturally for us, but the time frame is significantly longer than what is being done here. While it seems they are doing taste tests for the water, I’m curious about the tests they have done to determine the health affects.
One of the interesting aspects is that the water is being treated with iodine to kill germs and then the iodine is being taken out at the tap. We need a certain amount of iodine in our diet for normal function, but I have to wonder if the whole process might have some type of lasting impact on the astronauts’ health, who are stationed there for longer time periods.
At least for right now, I’ll stick with my Evian!
I’m excited to announce the Via Viente has undergone some improvements. They have been working on this for some time. The company is constantly striving to improve the product and make it safer and healthier. It’s a good portion of why I endorse them.
ViaViente 3.0 is now manufactured using the Aseptic Sterilization process – a proprietary manufacturing process that kills bacteria, viruses, mold, spores, and yeast that causes fermentation while leaving the live enzymes, vitamins and minerals intact. Aseptic Sterilization ensures that the product is PURE and ALIVE WITH ENZYMES. Aseptic Sterilization is 2 steps ABOVE pharmaceutical grade production and is the safest and highest quality production method available.
Safest Containers Available!
Via’s new containers are made from the safest material in the world. Much of today’s glass is coming out of China and has been recycled. Initially this sounds good until you realize how many impurities such as lead and other heavy metals it can contain, which can leach into the product. This means glass is no longer the safest choice for food and beverage packaging.
Via’s new container is 100% recyclable and contains NO bisphenol A or phthalates and therefore NO chemical leaching! ViaViente 3.0 containers are Aseptically Sterilized internally and externally before any product is placed in them. The container is air tight and 100% sterile until the day you open it.
As a part of all these changes, Via 3.0 is now completely Preservative Free!!! If you have questions or experiences regarding Via Viente, please post a comment.
Via Viente is available at Longevity Studios in La Plata, Maryland, or by calling 301.934.8855.
We have all heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Just because we’ve heard it, doesn’t mean we follow it or understand why. I asked Natasha Atkinson, Personal Trainer, to be a contributing author to the blog to explain just why it’s so important to take in that early first meal.
Natasha has been in the fitness industry for two decades and understands the benefits of a healthy lifestyle. It’s through this commitment to fitness and living a healthy lifestyle that she expresses her passion and gets her clients to reach their full potential. She enjoys training clients of all fitness levels. She especially enjoys working with women to help them overcome the many barriers they face in their pursuit of fitness. Her certifications include Holistic Lifestyle Coach Level 1 from the C.H.E.K.Institute, National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) and American Council on Exercise (ACE) Personal Trainer certifications.
Whether a lack of time, hunger, or a desire to lose weight is your reason for skipping breakfast, you may want to rethink your choice. Studies have shown by skipping breakfast we are setting ourselves up for over-eating later in the day.
- Timlin MT, et al. Breakfast eating and weight change in a 5-year prospective analysis of adolescents: project EAT (Eating Among Teens) Pediatrics 2008;121:e638-645
- de Castro JM. The time of day of food intake influences overall intake in humans. Journal of Nutrition 2004 134:104-111
- Klem, M. L., Wing, R. R., McGuire, M. T., Seagle, H. M., Hill, J. O. (1997) A descriptive study of individuals successful at long-term maintenance of substantial weight loss. Am J Clin Nutr. 239–246
Breakfast is the first chance the body has to refuel after 10-12 hours without food. Glucose or blood sugar levels are at it’s lowest in the morning. Glucose is essential for brain function, muscle activity and even the fat burning process. The benefits of a healthy breakfast can be seen in increased energy, mental alertness, a positive attitude, and weight loss.
With very little planning the night before, breakfast can be done quickly in the morning. If traditional oatmeal and eggs aren’t for you, then think of it as the first meal of the day. Some choices maybe leftovers from the night before. A healthy wrap or any other healthy food that you had for dinner is a great choice. Make it simple!
For those that are saying to yourselves “I truly don’t get hungry in the morning”, start out with something small to get your body use to eating in the morning. You’ve taught your body not to want to eat in the morning and now you have to teach it to expect food when you get up. You should increase with small amounts until you are eating a healthy breakfast at the right level for you.
The results you will see from just this one action will pay off with more energetic days and a smile when you look in the mirror!
If you have specific questions for Natasha or would like to know more about her services, email her at natkinson@longevitystudios.com.
French researchers found from a 10 week study on mice that the drug, SR1720, helped protect the mice from weight gain even on a high-fat diet. SR1720 is a chemical cousin of resveratrol, the red wine extract that fights aging and promotes heart health. There were no adverse reactions found during that 10 weeks. The drug seems to work by shifting the metabolism to a fat-burning mode that normally occurs only when the energy levels are low. This was reported in the scientific journal Cell Metabolism, but a much simpler version is from the BBC News in the article Drug ‘Tricks Body to Lose Weight’.
In the article, Prof Ian Broom, of the Centre for Obesity Research and Epidemiology at The Robert Gordon University, discusses the importance to research like this for tackling the growing obesity problem. But then he goes on to say:
… any such drug should be used alongside dietary and lifestyle changes to tackle obesity.
This is the part where I go off on a rant. First, I must state a few clarifications. We definitely need to address the obesity problem in the UK, this country, and as a global health issue. I am not opposed to all drugs. With that being said, I don’t necessarily think the fix to chronic health problems are going to rely on drugs that “trick” the body into anything, because we don’t EVER trick the body. The body usually has a reason for doing what it’s doing, even getting fat.
When you introduce a foreign agent in to the body to shift it where you want it to be, it will go there for a period of time. This shift is only a compensation that moves the body there while the the foreign substance is there. This usually also causes the body to negotiate other resources to manage the foreign substance and keep the body at a state that is not natural for it.
It is pretty amazing to me the results that happen when you take a drug and combine it with dietary and lifestyle changes. You have high blood pressure – you take a high blood pressure pill and combine it with exercise, good nutrition, and stress management and that blood pressure drops. High cholesterol? – take a cholesterol lowering medication and combine it with exercise, good nutrition, and stress management and that cholesterol comes right down. What seems to be the constant here?
What we need to start doing is to look at what we are doing to ourselves and find the etiology of why we have these chronic health issues and address with the appropriate methodologies for the person with the condition and not just the condition.
I welcome an open dialogue on this one. Please let me know what you think about all the “miracle pills” that are looking to be developed to save us from our lives.
General, Health, Nutrition | Cliff Long | 
May 7, 2009 1:19 pm | 
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