Posts

4 Amino Acids That Improve Energy and Mood

/0 Comments/in

Carlson-L-Glutamine-Amino-Acid-Powder-088395068256by Elizabeth Walling,

Everywhere we look there are advertisements for anti-depressants, stimulants and other substances that are supposed to help us feel better and more energized, but time and again these drugs prove to be ineffective and even harmful in the long run. Amino acid supplements, on the other hand, are an excellent alternative therapy for treating lack of energy and low moods.

Julia Ross talks extensively about amino acid therapy in her books The Diet Cure and The Mood Cure (read my The Diet Curereview of The Mood Cure here). Supplementing with the right amino acids can boost deficient brain chemicals and make transitioning to a healthy lifestyle more achievable. It’s not uncommon to have trouble kicking habits like using tobacco, alcohol, caffeine and eating processed sugar foods. Many times cravings for these substances can be linked to neurotransmitter deficiency. Fixing your diet and lifestyle are the best ways to correct such a deficiency, but let’s face it: sometimes it feels impossible to make changes when our brain chemicals are off balance!

Amino acid therapy is generally very temporary if you are making other important changes in conjunction with the therapy. A few weeks or months is usually all it takes before doses can be tapered and eventually eliminated. I personally used amino acid therapy on and off for a period of about 12-18 months. Once I found which amino acids were most effective for me and got the dosage right, I discovered that changes were immediately noticeable. Today I no longer take regular doses of specific amino acids, though I do keep them around “just in case,” though I rarely feel the need to use them.

Here are four amino acids that particularly work to improve energy and mood:
(All the dosages below are based on Julia’s recommendations in her books, which I highly suggest reading before embarking on an amino acid therapy program. Remember it is always best to start with a small dose and increase as needed.)

4 Amino Acids That Improve Energy and Mood

Glutamine
Phenylalanine
Tryptophan
Tyrosine

READ MORE

Train On All Energy Systems.

/0 Comments/in

I have mentioned in the Befit Method™ Philosophy to train on all energy systems.
It is the approach that our team recommends and is the foundation of our training
methods.

So What does that mean? Why Energy Systems?

Energy systems is how the body produces the fuel our working muscles need while maintaining homeostasis. It allows us to really understand the most important questions about acheiving optimal performance.

The truth is…
More Energy = Better Performance.

As stated by Dr. Yuri Verkhoshansky…(inventor of plyometric training)

“The role of an athlete’s strength and conditioning program IS NOT just to improve strength or conditioning…it is first and foremost to increase their potential to produce energy. This increase in energy is what provides the foundation for the athlete to perform their skill faster.

If you think in terms of power an athlete needs to perform the movement or skill faster with more velocity. If you think in the terms of endurance the athlete must be able to produce energy for longer.

In order to regenerate or maintain energy homeostasis during intense exercise energy expenditure, the body has three energy systems that differ in terms of how fast they can regenerate ATP (our cell energy source) and for how long they can regenerate it. The three systems are aerobic, alactic anaerobic and lactic anaerobic.

A simple way to think of energy systems is to observe a 100 meter sprint, a 400 meter sprint and the mile. The record for the 100 meter = 9.58s, (Alactic Anaerobic) the World Record for the 400m = 43.18s (Lactic Anaerobic) and the World Record for the mile = 3:43. (Aerobic). The longer the duration, the more that the aerobic process takes over.

We believe in training with the objective to increase overall physical preperation and performance. With the goal to improve overall performance it is best to focus on maximizing total energy production and to establish a balance between aerobic and anaerobic processes.

WHY?
Energy systems are an integral part of human performance since they are the foundation for all motor work. To develop all energy systems allows you to maximize power and deliver over a greater duration. Although aerobic and anaerobic can’t always be addressed simultaneously it is important to address both since some sports will demand reletive contributions from both.

For More Details On The Science behind Energy Systems and Performance
Check out Joel Jamieson

©2013 | Chris Vlaun

Power Breakfast Shake

/0 Comments/in

The fast pace lifestyle of our society has driven many of us to fall in the bad habit of skipping breakfast. If you skip breakfast and your first meal is lunch and you ate last time for dinner you probably have been around 18 hours without eating. This scenario leads to sugar cravings and mood swing due to low blood sugars, increased body fat due to starvation, low energy or the necessity to have a coffee to start the day and of course nutritional deficiencies. Even for the busiest person it is possible to have a nutritious breakfast combining whole foods and high quality supplements. Below you will see the ingredients to do a Power Breakfast Shake that we suggest to our patients, active people and athletes which do not have the time to cook in the morning and to make sure that they get the appropriate nutrients without skipping the most important meal of the day.The ingredients in the Power Breakfast Shake vary depending where you live and amounts have to be adapted based on your current health status, age, weight, gender and activity level. 
It can also be used by those trying to increase muscle mass for added calories.

Power Breakfast Shake Ingredients:
• Raw whole Cream from 100% grass fed animals or Organic unsweetened coconut Milk

• Grass fed proserum whey protein concentrate powder and organic pea protein powder

• Egg yolks from pasture fed chickens

• Organic mixed berries powder
• Organic mixed vegetables and algae powder
• Organic extra virgin cold pressed raw coconut oil
• Organic extra virgin cold pressed olive oil
• Organic cold pressed flax seed oil
• Gelatin
• Organic berries

Let’s see why we use each ingredient and its benefits in brief:

Raw Cream
If you find raw whole cream from animals on pasture in your area it is the best choice even if you are lactose intolerant while if you find only regular whole cream or organic whole cream but is pasteurized then your best choice is organic unsweetened coconut milk.
Raw cream is a predigested food which then does not require digestion and is particularly dense in fat soluble vitamins (A,D,E,K) as well as conjugated linoleic acid, omega fatty acids in perfect ratio, Glutathione, vitamin C, many bioavailable minerals and even coenzyme Q10. Fresh, raw cream is a living food. It contains beneficial bacteria and enzymes which are otherwise destroyed during pasteurization and it is precisely these components of living foods that make them so valuable to our overall health. These enzymes enable better digestion of macronutrients and better absorption of micronutrients while the beneficial bacteria promote intestinal health and a well-functioning immune system.


Grass fed proserum whey protein concentrate powder and organic pea protein powder
Whey protein powder from grass fed milk has all the healthy benefits of raw milk thanks to proserum which employ a very delicate process of heating that preserve all the nutrients without using any filtration process.This also guarantees that the whey is not extracted from the milk of animals injected with hormones, antibiotics or fed improperly as well as that no hidden MSG, sugars, hydrogenated fats, synthetic vitamins and minerals, acids, heavy metals and other unhealthy ingredients commonly hidden in protein powder are added.

The isolate / hydrolysate protein powders has had all the beneficial nutritional co-factors REMOVED (the lactoferrins and immunoglobulins to help support your immune system and minerals (such as calcium and potassium that nourish your muscles) just so the label can list a few extra grams of protein per serving.

If you are lactose intolerant then organic pea protein is your choice


Egg yolks from pasture fed chickens
Raw egg yolks from chicken on pasture versus conventional, organic or free range offer the highest level of nutrition such as fat soluble vitamins, antioxidants such as licopene, lecithin and omega fatty acids in perfect ratio. When using raw eggs it is important to not using the whites since when not cooked cause low biotin levels.


Organic mixed berries powder
A concentration of different kind of organic berries is particularly rich in fiber, enzymes and antioxidants

Organic mixed vegetables and algae powder
A concentration of different kind of organic vegetables and algae is particularly rich in fiber, enzymes and compound that support the liver.


Organic extra virgin cold pressed raw coconut oil
The benefits of coconut oil include: improving the heart health, boost the thyroid, increasing metabolism, promoting fat loss and supporting the immune system.
Nearly 50 percent of the fat in coconut oil is of a type rarely found in nature called lauric acid, a “miracle” compound because of its unique health promoting properties. Your body converts lauric acid into monolaurin, which has anti-viral, anti-bacterial and anti-protozoa properties.
Coconut oil is also nature’s richest source of medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs), also called medium-chain triglycerides or MCTs. By contrast, most common vegetable or seed oils are comprised of long chain fatty acids (LCFAs), also known as long-chain triglycerides or LCTs.
LCTs are large molecules, so they are difficult for your body to break down and are predominantly stored as fat.
But MCTs , being smaller, are easily digested and immediately burned by your liver for energy — like carbohydrates, but without the insulin spike. MCTs actually boost your metabolism and help your body use fat for energy, as opposed to storing it, so it can actually help you become leaner.


Organic extra virgin cold pressed olive oil
Extra virgin olive oil is particularly rich in vitamin E and antioxidants


Organic cold pressed flax seed oil
Extra virgin flax seed oil is particularly rich in Omega 3 and antioxidants


Gelatin
In the past muscle meat was given to animals because was not considered particularly rich in nutrients. All the parts of the animals were consumed especially the organs, glands and the gelatinous parts which were helping us to keep our skin, gut, joints, tendons and ligaments strong. In modern ages we have moved to consuming mainly muscle meats and stop eating organs, glands and gelatinous parts but our body needs for these foods has not changed.
It is possible to find gelatin in form of supplement from grass fed animals without any sugar or filler added. Of essential importance is for people engaging in physical activities to avoid injuries.


Organic berries
Organic berries have a low glycemic index and are particularly rich in fiber and antioxidants. In addition they do give a nice and fresh flavor to the shake.

You can use this recipe as a base and add different kind of fruits for your taste but it is important that you keep the high quality foods and supplements outlined here because otherwise instead of becoming something nutritious it will turn out in something damaging your health and wellness goals and symptoms as bloating, gas, belching, flatulence, diarrhea and bad breath will arise.




Metabolic Typing

/0 Comments/in

Tired? Sluggish? Overweight? Have you tried every fad diet on the market for the last 10 years? Unfortunately, the majority of us can answer yes to these questions. There are diets like Atkins, the Grapefruit Diet, and there is even a diet that involves only powered shakes. Not only have these diets proven unsuccessful in many cases according to governmental research, they haven’t worked for us either.

All is Not Lost
All hope is not lost. It has recently been discovered that a healthy mind and body are not a result of how much you eat. Nor will the same diet work for every person. Each of us has a unique metabolic makeup. This simply means that no 2 people have the same body chemistry. And this makeup determines what you should and should not eat to maintain good health and a perfect weight.

No One Diet is Right for Everyone
Eating a meal that is right for your metabolic type will improve your energy, increase your mental capacities, and boost your emotional well-being.  Each meal should leave you feeling well-satisfied for several hours. If you are already feeling good, eating should, at the very least, help to maintain your energy level.
But if you feel worse in some way an hour or so after eating, such as:
You still feel hungry even though you are physically full
You develop a sweet craving
Your energy level drops
You feel hyper, nervous, angry or irritable
You feel depressed
…then it might be due to an improper combination of proteins, fats and carbohydrates at your last meal. You might be eating the perfect foods for your metabolism, but having too much of one type of food in place of another can easily produce the symptoms listed above. 

Everyone Has Their Own Unique Metabolic Type
Many people are eating high-quality nutritious organic foods and are still quite sick. They haven’t touched sugar or junk food in ages and still suffer with many health problems. There are a number of reasons for this, but one of the major physical ones is related to the fact that they are not eating appropriate foods for their metabolic type.

Metabolic Typing is a revolutionary system for optimizing whole body health. Diet and nutritional supplements are used to address the individual at a fundamental metabolic level, allowing for increased energy, weight loss and greater resistance to disease.

By conducting a series of simple tests we are able to determine each individual’s Metabolic Type. This is the fundamental way in which your body produces and processes energy. Armed with this knowledge the individual can knowingly select the foods and nutritional supplements that are tailored to his or her specific metabolism.

Many diets claim to promote energy and weight loss, but they only work effectively in the long term if they are compatible with your Metabolic Type. This explains why one person can lose weight on a particular diet, while another person might gain weight on exactly the same diet! Not all foods and supplements are equally good for all people. Metabolic Typing is the missing link that explains why one person’s food may literally be another person’s poison.