Note from Miriam:
Protect yourself with EMF protection devices for home and phones at:
www.ewater.com/2020
I own almost everything on there, including EMF home protection salt lamp and phone protector chip, eDot EMR.
----------------------
Posted by: Dr. Mercola | January 12 2011 |
An international team of researchers recently discovered that in some individuals, the 2.4 GHz pulsed signals emitted by a cordless phone system produce significant disruptions in cardiac rhythm.
The researchers demonstrated that 40 percent of healthy volunteers in their study showed marked increases in heart rate, arrhythmias, and other disturbances in heart rate variability following exposure to active cordless phone base stations.
Many wireless routers and other forms of Wi-Fi technology also emit fields at this frequency.
Holistic Primary Care reports:
"This is the first objective evidence of cardiovascular effects associated with wireless EMF exposure, and it lends quantitative vindication to the concept of 'electrohypersensitivity,' the sense some people have that they become physically ill when close to EMF fields from cell phones, microwave ovens, computers, fluorescent lighting systems, and WiFi networks."
Sources:
Holistic Primary Care December 2010
European Journal of Oncology October 22, 2010 (PDF)
Dr. Mercola's Comments:
A cordless phone base station placed about two feet from your head and plugged in for three minutes at a time can significantly disrupt your heart rhythm, according to a new study led by Magda Havas, PhD, of the Environmental & Resources Studies Department at Trent University, Canada.
In all, 40 percent of the volunteers had increases in heart rate, arrhythmias and other disturbances in heart rate variability after exposure to a cordless phone base station emitting a 2.41 GHz pulsed microwave signal. This is the same type of cordless phone that many people use in their homes and the same frequency as everyday wireless routers that millions of people in homes, offices and schools.
Proof That EMF Health Effects are Real
This study was completely objective, directly measuring volunteers' heart responses to radiation while the volunteers were unaware of whether or not they were being exposed -- and still an effect was noted.
This is among the most solid proof that the effects of wireless radiation are real, as are the symptoms that some people readily experience when they're around other microwave-emitting devices.
As written on Dr. Havas' Web site:
"The sympathetic nervous system up regulated and the parasympathetic nervous system down regulated during exposure, which is the typical "flight-or-fight" stress response. Feelings of anxiety as well as pain or pressure in the chest were associated with the rapid or irregular heart beat among some of the participants tested.
This test is objective and directly measures the heart's response to radiation and is unlike subjective testing, where scientists ask individuals if they know whether a device is turned on or off and then determine their "sensitivity" based on perception of exposure, which is just that perception and NOT sensitivity.
It clearly documents that some individuals are hypersensitive to specific frequencies and supports complaints people have when they are exposed to radiation, including a racing or fluttering heart, pain or pressure in the chest, and feelings of anxiety that resemble the onset of a heart attack."
The graphic below shows this effect very clearly:
Source: Magda Havas, PhD. Note, Subject B was electrically sensitive and Subject A was not. Subject B experienced almost a doubling of the heart rate on exposure and re-exposure to microwave radiation from a portable phone.
Much of the research surrounding harmful effects of wireless radiation involves cell phones, and there is reason for concern in this area. However, what is often overlooked is the fact that cordless phones can have the same effects as cell phones or even potentially worse.
DECT (2.4GHz and 5.8GHz) phones use a digital pulsed signal even when no call is being placed. In fact, the base station of a DECT phone always transmits at full power, while the cell phone transmits during a call and only when the user is actively talking. Portable phones, we hear, are in development that do not constantly radiate but are not yet available for the U.S. market. They have recently been introduced in Germany.
The transmission power is approximately 250mW, which is well under federal "safety" guidelines (1000 microW/cm2), yet Dr. Havas' study showed potentially serious health effects. In addition to the radiation, the pulsed signal is approximately 100Hz, which is within the biological range and therefore likely to cause adverse health effects as well.
Further, the cordless phone base station used in the study uses the same frequency -- a pulsed digital signal at 2.4 GHz -- as the Wi-Fi in many schools. If this level of exposure has the potential to disrupt adult heart rates, what effect might it be having on children?
Growing Credibility for Electrohypersensitivity Symptoms
The graph below, created by Dr. Havas based on a research study by Santini et al, illustrates the frequency of electromagnetic hypersensitivity symptoms based on a person's distance to a cell phone base station (cell phone tower).
It is based on a Spanish study published in 2001 in the journal La Presse Medicale, which clearly showed that the closer you are to the base station, the greater your chances are of exhibiting a number of health-related symptoms, such as fatigue, sleep disturbances, visual and auditory disturbances, and cardiovascular effects, just to name a few.
It's worth noting that these symptoms are just for ONE type of exposure, at a distance. It does not necessarily include the effects of other technologies that are emitting radiofrequency radiation as well, such as cell phones, cordless home phones, Wi-Fi networks in your office or your child's school, the exposures one gets from wireless laptops, etc.. Total and cumulative exposures to electromagnetic radiation from all sources must be taken into consideration in evaluating any health challenge.
Source: From "Public Health SOS: The Shadow Side of the Wireless Revolution" by Havas and Rees
It is estimated that 3-8 percent of populations in developed countries experience serious electrohypersensitivity symptoms, while 35 percent experience mild symptoms, according to Dr. Thomas Rau, medical director of the world-renowned Paracelsus Clinic in Switzerland.
Dr. Rau also believes that 'electromagnetic loads' lead to cancer, concentration problems, ADD, tinnitus, migraines, insomnia, arrhythmia, Parkinson's and even back pain. You can listen to an audio interview with Dr. Rau on www.electromagnetichealth.org.
For people with Electromagnetic Hypersensitivity Syndrome (EHS), just walking into a coffee shop that is Wi-Fi equipped can be debilitating, triggering a wide array of symptoms including headache, fatigue, nausea, burning and itchy skin, and muscle aches.
Some students have to drop out of school or are unable to continue on to graduate programs once they become electrically sensitive, irrespective of their intelligence and capabilities. Even just briefly standing on line at the post office, or traveling on public transportation, can be a debilitating experience for some people, sometimes taking hours to restore rebalance.
Because the symptoms are subjective and vary between individuals, it makes the condition difficult to study, but with the work of Dr. Havas and others, acceptance is slowly growing and the real health effects of EMF are becoming harder to deny.
A word to the wise is to avoid these exposures as much as possible before symptoms become severe. There are now EMF-Free Zones forming around the globe, such as in southern France, Spain and Italy.
A good resource for physicians and others, published by the U.K. charity Electrosensitivity-UK, is "Electromagnetic Sensitivity and Electromagnetic Hypersensitivity." It is available for a nominal donation to the charity and you can learn more at www.electromagentichealth.org.
This overview of electrosensitivity contains an extensive review of symptoms, sources of exposure, pathological markers, treatment approaches, references for other illnesses linked to EMFs, and lists references to numerous resolutions on this topic by organizations of international scientists, medical doctors and psychologists.
Another good resource on the known biological effects can be found in the Ecolog Report, commissioned by the industry itself over a decade ago. The report lists scientific references showing DNA damage and links to immunological disorders, cancers and many other medical conditions. The Ecolog report is indisputable evidence that the telecom industry well knows of the harm wireless technologies are causing.
The Risks of a Portable Phone Are Not Worth the Convenience
The power from a DECT 2.4GHz cordless base does not just affect individuals within the same room, but actually will affect rooms above, below and adjacent.
So, ideally, if you want to avoid the radiation you should switch back to a wired landline and ditch your cordless phone entirely. If you must use a portable home phone, consider using a very early non-DECT version. Unfortunately, due to the lack of labeling, the only way to know for sure whether the type of phone you have is safe is to measure the amount of radiation emitted.
The Web site www.emfsafetystore.com offers a helpful summary of the various meters recommended.
Key Points to Follow If You Choose to Use a Cordless Phone
You need to know that nearly all of the danger is from the base station, not the receivers as the base station is the one that is constantly generating these signals. The handsets will cause a problem while you are using them but the majority of the problem is related to long-term exposure while you are sleeping or sitting near the base station. If you are sitting between the base station and the handset left across the room you are also vulnerable, as the base station is always sending out a signal looking for a 'handshake.'
So, if you do use a conventional cordless phone, be sure to keep the base station at least three rooms away from where everyone sleeps and where you spend the most time during the day. Or simply keep it off except in the limited circumstances where you feel you need to use it. Remember, the base station of a DECT phone always transmits at full power, so this is not a device you want sitting on your nightstand next to your bed, on your kitchen counter or even on at all if it is not necessary.
In order to keep the base station far enough away from your family, you would need a relatively large home and even still might not be able to put enough distance between you, your family and the base station to make it safe. You should also turn the device off at night, like you should do if you use a wireless router, but again the safest choice is to simply revert back to a wired landline and get rid of your cordless phone entirely.
You can buy a very long extension cord for any landline phone, and you can also buy a very long Ethernet cord with which to connect your laptop in any room to the Internet, making wireless far from a "necessity."
http://emf.mercola.com/sites/emf/archive/2011/01/12/cordless-phone-emfs-trigger-heart-rhythm-abnormalities.aspx
About Me
- Miriam
- I have a health ministry for friends, family, and health lovers world-wide. I choose natural options whenever possible and avoid chemicals, food additives, etc. even in my cosmetics. I eat mostly organic whole foods. You’ll find lots of healthy recipes and great health research on this site.
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Exposed toothbrushes risk unhealthy bacterial and viral contamination
Sunday, January 16, 2011 by: Tony Isaacs, citizen journalist
(NaturalNews) Many of us have heard that flushing toilets could result in unsanitary airborne particles that make their way onto our toothbrushes. In recent years, largely to a segment on the popular "Mythbusters" show, the idea of water droplets traveling from the toilet to our toothbrushes has been cast as a sort of urban myth. However, what Mythbusters actually found did not disprove the idea of particles traveling from the toilet to toothbrushes, nor did it provide any rationale for leaving toothbrushes exposed.
Anyone who has ever flushed a toilet while sitting on it has likely felt droplets of water splash upwards. The spread of toilet water is not limited to just those particles large enough to be felt. Thanks to "the aerosol effect", a veritable cloud of tiny droplets travels far outside the toilet when it is flushed.
The aerosol effect was first brought to light by University of Arizona environmental microbiologist Charles Gerba when he published a scientific article in 1975 describing the disturbing results of his tests on bacterial and viral aerosols due to toilet flushing. He conducted tests by placing pieces of gauze in different locations around the bathroom and measuring the bacterial and viral levels on them after a toilet flush. His results were more than a little disturbing: he found that the aerosols traveled as far as six to eight feet away from the toilet.
"Droplets are going all over the place - it's like the Fourth of July," Gerba said. "One way to see this is to put a dye in the toilet, flush it, and then hold a piece of paper over it"
In the Mythbusters segment, which has been cited to prove the idea that particles do in fact travel outside the toilet, what the Mythbusters team actually found was that fecal coliform bacteria can be found everywhere - including on a pair of "control" toothbrushes they put away in a medicine cabinet in another room. Such a finding is hardly reassuring nor is it in any way proof that particles do not travel from the toilet to exposed toothbrushes. Plus, the Mythbusters team only tested for bacteria and not actual particles nor viruses.
It is true that many do not consider fecal coliform bacteria to be a health risk since they are found naturally in the human body - primarily in the lower digestive tract where the body processes and eliminates waste. However, that does not mean that it is a good idea to introduce the bacteria into our mouths.
Fecal coliform grows in an environment similar to other waterborne bacteria, and thus their presence outside of the body means that other bacteria like hepatitis A or dysentery could also be present. Notably, municipal water districts test for the presence of fecal coliform bacteria to determine whether waste treatment is being conducted properly.
Obviously, it is not healthy to leave toothbrushes exposed in the bath room. Toothbrushes should be covered and protected and toilet lids should be closed before flushing. Since bacteria can accumulate on toothbrushes wherever they are located, it would also be a good idea to regularly clean them with an item such as a UV device made for that purpose and/or to spritz some colloidal silver on them prior to use. Another good idea would be to use a natural antiseptic toothpaste product such as one which contains tea tree oil.
See also:
"Make Your Own Safe, Natural and Healthy Tooth Pastes and Tooth Cleansers"
http://www.naturalnews.com/028636_t...
Sources included:
http://www.suite101.com/content/do-...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TeAO...
http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/exchan...
http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/biolog...
About the author
Tony Isaacs, is a natural health author, advocate and researcher who hosts The Best Years in Life website for baby boomers and others wishing to avoid prescription drugs and mainstream managed illness and live longer, healthier and happier lives naturally. Mr. Isaacs is the author of books and articles about natural health, longevity and beating cancer including "Cancer's Natural Enemy" and is working on a major book project due to be published later this year.
Mr. Isaacs is currently residing in scenic East Texas and frequently commutes to the even more scenic Texas hill country near San Antonio and Austin to give lectures in health seminars. He also hosts the CureZone "Ask Tony Isaacs - featuring Luella May" forum as well as the Yahoo Health Group "Oleander Soup" and he serves as a consultant to the "Utopia Silver Supplement Company".
http://www.naturalnews.com/031020_toothbrushes_contamination.html
(NaturalNews) Many of us have heard that flushing toilets could result in unsanitary airborne particles that make their way onto our toothbrushes. In recent years, largely to a segment on the popular "Mythbusters" show, the idea of water droplets traveling from the toilet to our toothbrushes has been cast as a sort of urban myth. However, what Mythbusters actually found did not disprove the idea of particles traveling from the toilet to toothbrushes, nor did it provide any rationale for leaving toothbrushes exposed.
Anyone who has ever flushed a toilet while sitting on it has likely felt droplets of water splash upwards. The spread of toilet water is not limited to just those particles large enough to be felt. Thanks to "the aerosol effect", a veritable cloud of tiny droplets travels far outside the toilet when it is flushed.
The aerosol effect was first brought to light by University of Arizona environmental microbiologist Charles Gerba when he published a scientific article in 1975 describing the disturbing results of his tests on bacterial and viral aerosols due to toilet flushing. He conducted tests by placing pieces of gauze in different locations around the bathroom and measuring the bacterial and viral levels on them after a toilet flush. His results were more than a little disturbing: he found that the aerosols traveled as far as six to eight feet away from the toilet.
"Droplets are going all over the place - it's like the Fourth of July," Gerba said. "One way to see this is to put a dye in the toilet, flush it, and then hold a piece of paper over it"
In the Mythbusters segment, which has been cited to prove the idea that particles do in fact travel outside the toilet, what the Mythbusters team actually found was that fecal coliform bacteria can be found everywhere - including on a pair of "control" toothbrushes they put away in a medicine cabinet in another room. Such a finding is hardly reassuring nor is it in any way proof that particles do not travel from the toilet to exposed toothbrushes. Plus, the Mythbusters team only tested for bacteria and not actual particles nor viruses.
It is true that many do not consider fecal coliform bacteria to be a health risk since they are found naturally in the human body - primarily in the lower digestive tract where the body processes and eliminates waste. However, that does not mean that it is a good idea to introduce the bacteria into our mouths.
Fecal coliform grows in an environment similar to other waterborne bacteria, and thus their presence outside of the body means that other bacteria like hepatitis A or dysentery could also be present. Notably, municipal water districts test for the presence of fecal coliform bacteria to determine whether waste treatment is being conducted properly.
Obviously, it is not healthy to leave toothbrushes exposed in the bath room. Toothbrushes should be covered and protected and toilet lids should be closed before flushing. Since bacteria can accumulate on toothbrushes wherever they are located, it would also be a good idea to regularly clean them with an item such as a UV device made for that purpose and/or to spritz some colloidal silver on them prior to use. Another good idea would be to use a natural antiseptic toothpaste product such as one which contains tea tree oil.
See also:
"Make Your Own Safe, Natural and Healthy Tooth Pastes and Tooth Cleansers"
http://www.naturalnews.com/028636_t...
Sources included:
http://www.suite101.com/content/do-...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TeAO...
http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/exchan...
http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/biolog...
About the author
Tony Isaacs, is a natural health author, advocate and researcher who hosts The Best Years in Life website for baby boomers and others wishing to avoid prescription drugs and mainstream managed illness and live longer, healthier and happier lives naturally. Mr. Isaacs is the author of books and articles about natural health, longevity and beating cancer including "Cancer's Natural Enemy" and is working on a major book project due to be published later this year.
Mr. Isaacs is currently residing in scenic East Texas and frequently commutes to the even more scenic Texas hill country near San Antonio and Austin to give lectures in health seminars. He also hosts the CureZone "Ask Tony Isaacs - featuring Luella May" forum as well as the Yahoo Health Group "Oleander Soup" and he serves as a consultant to the "Utopia Silver Supplement Company".
http://www.naturalnews.com/031020_toothbrushes_contamination.html
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Toothbrush hygiene tips - very important for staying healthy
1) Purchase a new toothbrush for your family members after the have been sick, or they may get the same infection again.
2) Clean your toothbrush in the dishwasher along with your dishes. You can also soak it in hydrogen peroxide for 10 minutes or overnight.
3) You can microwave your toothbrush to get rid of bacteria. Nuke it for approximately 1 min 30 sec.
4) Rinse with hot water before each use.
5) Wash with soap and hot water after each use.
6) Keep far away from toilet area.
7) Replace your toothbrush every month!
Extra tip:
Be sure to save your old toothbrushes for cleaning those hard to reach places around the house.
2) Clean your toothbrush in the dishwasher along with your dishes. You can also soak it in hydrogen peroxide for 10 minutes or overnight.
3) You can microwave your toothbrush to get rid of bacteria. Nuke it for approximately 1 min 30 sec.
4) Rinse with hot water before each use.
5) Wash with soap and hot water after each use.
6) Keep far away from toilet area.
7) Replace your toothbrush every month!
Extra tip:
Be sure to save your old toothbrushes for cleaning those hard to reach places around the house.
Avoid Brain Plaque with a Toothbrush (avoid alcohol-based mouthwash too)
Tuesday, July 28, 2009 by: Frank Mangano, citizen journalist
(NaturalNews) The next time your son or daughter has a test for school, in addition to hitting the books, s/he may also want to hit the brush - the toothbrush, that is. Scientific discoveries are increasingly uncovering the links between oral health and physical health, but a new round of study is investigating the links between oral health and mental health - with a specific focus on memory.
This new foray into investigating the links between memory and the health of one`s bicuspids and incisors was touched on after a study out of West Virginia University`s School of Dentistry indicated that elderly with poor oral hygiene fared far worse in memory tests than those who were good stewards to their pearly whites. The testing of approximately 300 older adults involved cognitive function tests, blood work and dental check-ups.
This latest study will be undertaken by researchers from the University of North Carolina, and they will have quite the dowry from which to conduct their testing: a cool $1.3 million, awarded by the National Institutes of Health.
Using the West Virginia researchers` findings as a backbone to their analysis, the UNC researchers will try and expand on it, supporting and/or identifying other contributing factors that weren`t apparent to the West Virginia University researchers, whose work is not yet finished.
While the world of natural health typically revolves around the food, it doesn`t stop at the produce aisle. Maintaining good oral hygiene requires natural tooth-defending formulas.
For instance, some may think that they`re protecting their pearly whites by rinsing and gargling with mouthwash twice a day. They may be, but only if their mouthwash is non-alcohol based.
As has been documented in a variety of newspapers and television news outlets - including CBS News - alcohol-based mouthwashes create a breeding ground for bacteria, as the alcohol dries out the lining of the walls inside the mouth. This enables cavities to develop more easily.
More serious than cavities, oral cancer can develop from alcohol-based mouthwashes - disease so prevalent that 34,000 people will be diagnosed with it this year alone (and they likely won`t be alive five years from now). The prevalence rate may have something to do with alcohol-based mouthwash.
Michael McCullough, an associate professor of dental medicine from the University of Melbourne found in a study of his that people who used alcohol-based mouthwashes were five times more likely to develop oral cancer than those who don`t use mouthwash.
This shouldn`t preclude the use of mouthwashes, however. All-natural mouthwashes work wonders. However, all-natural are not necessarily those that are simply "alcohol-free." Natural mouthwashes include those with ingredients like "organic tree oil," "aloe vera gel" and "oil of spearmint." "Witch hazel" is another natural ingredient that`s great for healthy teeth and gums.
There are of course many other aspects to maintaining good oral hygiene, like eating foods that are good for the teeth, like apples, celery and carrots, as these three foods help remove plaque buildup.
Besides flossing and brushing, another way to maintain good oral hygiene is with 100 percent xylitol chewing gum. Xylitol naturally removes the bacteria that camps out inside the mouth when sugars are left behind from the foods we eat.
As the West Virginia study found - and as the University of North Carolina will likely support - one of the many ways to promote a great memory is right beneath our noses. Help your "pearly whites" live up to their namesake by practicing good oral hygiene the all-natural way.
Source:
http://www.reuters.com/article/heal...
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/ne...
http://www.oralcancerfoundation.org...
http://www.naturalnews.com/026720_health_mouthwash_alcohol.html
About the author
Frank Mangano is an American author, health advocate, researcher and entrepreneur in the field of alternative health. He is perhaps best known for his book "The Blood Pressure Miracle," which continues to be an Amazon best selling book. Additionally, he has published numerous reports and a considerable amount of articles pertaining to natural health.
Mangano is the publisher of Natural Health On The Web, which offers readers free and valuable information on alternative remedies. To learn more visit:
http://www.naturalhealthontheweb.com
Articles Related to This Article:
• Where's the health in health care reform?
• The inside scoop: Natural Health Products Expo West industry event
• Review of Google Health - Technology Achievement or Privacy Disaster?
• The Honest Food Guide empowers consumers with independent information about foods and health
• The Politics of National Health Care Reform: Why no Popular Presidential Candidate can Solve Our Health Care Crisis (transcript)
• Shattering the false philosophy and junk science of conventional medicine
Related video from NaturalNews.TV
Your NaturalNews.TV video could be here.
Upload your own videos at NaturalNews.TV (FREE)
Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/026720_health_mouthwash_alcohol.html#ixzz1BA4UeA3M
(NaturalNews) The next time your son or daughter has a test for school, in addition to hitting the books, s/he may also want to hit the brush - the toothbrush, that is. Scientific discoveries are increasingly uncovering the links between oral health and physical health, but a new round of study is investigating the links between oral health and mental health - with a specific focus on memory.
This new foray into investigating the links between memory and the health of one`s bicuspids and incisors was touched on after a study out of West Virginia University`s School of Dentistry indicated that elderly with poor oral hygiene fared far worse in memory tests than those who were good stewards to their pearly whites. The testing of approximately 300 older adults involved cognitive function tests, blood work and dental check-ups.
This latest study will be undertaken by researchers from the University of North Carolina, and they will have quite the dowry from which to conduct their testing: a cool $1.3 million, awarded by the National Institutes of Health.
Using the West Virginia researchers` findings as a backbone to their analysis, the UNC researchers will try and expand on it, supporting and/or identifying other contributing factors that weren`t apparent to the West Virginia University researchers, whose work is not yet finished.
While the world of natural health typically revolves around the food, it doesn`t stop at the produce aisle. Maintaining good oral hygiene requires natural tooth-defending formulas.
For instance, some may think that they`re protecting their pearly whites by rinsing and gargling with mouthwash twice a day. They may be, but only if their mouthwash is non-alcohol based.
As has been documented in a variety of newspapers and television news outlets - including CBS News - alcohol-based mouthwashes create a breeding ground for bacteria, as the alcohol dries out the lining of the walls inside the mouth. This enables cavities to develop more easily.
More serious than cavities, oral cancer can develop from alcohol-based mouthwashes - disease so prevalent that 34,000 people will be diagnosed with it this year alone (and they likely won`t be alive five years from now). The prevalence rate may have something to do with alcohol-based mouthwash.
Michael McCullough, an associate professor of dental medicine from the University of Melbourne found in a study of his that people who used alcohol-based mouthwashes were five times more likely to develop oral cancer than those who don`t use mouthwash.
This shouldn`t preclude the use of mouthwashes, however. All-natural mouthwashes work wonders. However, all-natural are not necessarily those that are simply "alcohol-free." Natural mouthwashes include those with ingredients like "organic tree oil," "aloe vera gel" and "oil of spearmint." "Witch hazel" is another natural ingredient that`s great for healthy teeth and gums.
There are of course many other aspects to maintaining good oral hygiene, like eating foods that are good for the teeth, like apples, celery and carrots, as these three foods help remove plaque buildup.
Besides flossing and brushing, another way to maintain good oral hygiene is with 100 percent xylitol chewing gum. Xylitol naturally removes the bacteria that camps out inside the mouth when sugars are left behind from the foods we eat.
As the West Virginia study found - and as the University of North Carolina will likely support - one of the many ways to promote a great memory is right beneath our noses. Help your "pearly whites" live up to their namesake by practicing good oral hygiene the all-natural way.
Source:
http://www.reuters.com/article/heal...
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/ne...
http://www.oralcancerfoundation.org...
http://www.naturalnews.com/026720_health_mouthwash_alcohol.html
About the author
Frank Mangano is an American author, health advocate, researcher and entrepreneur in the field of alternative health. He is perhaps best known for his book "The Blood Pressure Miracle," which continues to be an Amazon best selling book. Additionally, he has published numerous reports and a considerable amount of articles pertaining to natural health.
Mangano is the publisher of Natural Health On The Web, which offers readers free and valuable information on alternative remedies. To learn more visit:
http://www.naturalhealthontheweb.com
Articles Related to This Article:
• Where's the health in health care reform?
• The inside scoop: Natural Health Products Expo West industry event
• Review of Google Health - Technology Achievement or Privacy Disaster?
• The Honest Food Guide empowers consumers with independent information about foods and health
• The Politics of National Health Care Reform: Why no Popular Presidential Candidate can Solve Our Health Care Crisis (transcript)
• Shattering the false philosophy and junk science of conventional medicine
Related video from NaturalNews.TV
Your NaturalNews.TV video could be here.
Upload your own videos at NaturalNews.TV (FREE)
Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/026720_health_mouthwash_alcohol.html#ixzz1BA4UeA3M
Hallelujah Honey Butter recipe
This sweet spread is delicious on homemade breads and baked potatoes!
1/2 cup pine nuts OR macadamia nuts
1 tablespoon Udo's or Flaxseed oil
1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon raw, unfiltered honey
1/4 cup distilled water
1 teaspoon Celtic Sea Salt
1/3 cup coconut oil
Directions
In a Vita-Mix or other powerful blender, blend all the above ingredients minus the coconut oil, until smooth.
If needed, add a little more water to reach a smooth consistency.
Then add the coconut oil and blend again.
Place in a mold or small glass jar and refrigerate. ENJOY!
(Keeps for weeks refrigerated, or can be frozen for longer storage. For even more flavor, minced fresh herbs and/or garlic can be added)
1/2 cup pine nuts OR macadamia nuts
1 tablespoon Udo's or Flaxseed oil
1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon raw, unfiltered honey
1/4 cup distilled water
1 teaspoon Celtic Sea Salt
1/3 cup coconut oil
Directions
In a Vita-Mix or other powerful blender, blend all the above ingredients minus the coconut oil, until smooth.
If needed, add a little more water to reach a smooth consistency.
Then add the coconut oil and blend again.
Place in a mold or small glass jar and refrigerate. ENJOY!
(Keeps for weeks refrigerated, or can be frozen for longer storage. For even more flavor, minced fresh herbs and/or garlic can be added)
Monday, January 10, 2011
Living without a Gallbladder - Critical information
Living without a Gallbladder
By: Dr. Loretta Lanphier, ND, CN, HHP
Roughly 20 million Americans suffer from gallstones, and 750,000 of them have their gallbladders removed each year. There are 800,000 hospitalizations $2 billion spend annually on gallbladder disease.
For most people the pain of a malfunctioning gallbladder eventually becomes unbearable. After one or two trips to the emergency room the suggestion of surgery is met with certain approval. Unfortunately this may or may not end the pain and discomfort. The probable after-effects of gallbladder surgery are never discussed with the patient which leaves the patient with the impression that all will be well after surgery. But it doesn't take long to realize that all is "not well" and the patient soon begins to feel very betrayed by their surgeon and doctor who did not prepare them for "life without a gallbladder."
Contrary to medical opinion the gallbladder is of use to the body. The gallbladder is a small sac underneath your liver that stores and secretes bile, a digestive fluid that breaks down fats. Gallstones form when the chemical compounds in bile become unbalanced -- no one's sure exactly why this happens, but a diet high in fat often makes the problem worse. Since bile is actually produced by the liver, it's possible to survive without a gallbladder, but often not without unpleasant digestive tract complications.The gallbladder is like a pump. Without it, the liver can't secrete enough bile to properly digest a full meal. Many people experience symptoms such as diarrhea, gas, abdominal pain, bloating, indigestion, constipation, increased allergies, liver congestion, itchy skin and autoimmune diseases. Some patients suffer from dumping syndrome, in which food is "dumped" too quickly into the intestines from the stomach.
Suggestions for living without a gallbladder:
Diet is extremely important. Eat low-fat, high fiber, organic and healthy. Eliminate refined carbohydrates and hydrogenated oils.
Liver Flush - Every four months. People without gallbladders may develop stones in the liver which will lead to a sluggish liver.
Parasite Cleanse - Two times a year. I recommend a six-week course of Para-Buster then maintenance for 3 weeks.
Digestive Enzymes - Take 3-5 capsules at least 15 minutes before each meal. You will need to take enzymes for the rest of your life in order to digest the good fats (Omega 3) which are essential for good health.
Reduce chemical overload on the liver (pre-packaged food, personal care products, lawn products, perfumes, cosmetics, etc.)
Drink only filtered water - Try to drink 1/2 your body weight in ounces of water every day.
Use a Probiotic - I recommend Latero-Flora or Primal Defense.
Reduce animal intake (meat and dairy) - When consuming animal products make sure they are free-range, organic and hormone-free.
Eliminate white sugar and white flour.
Consume a green drink or pills equal to one-two tablespoons daily. Quantum Greens is a good choice.
Activated Charcoal - Some people have found that this helps with symptoms as it helps to sequester bile acid.
Chinese Bitters (Chinese Gentian with Bupleurum) in the morning and Coptis with Bupleurum at night to stimulate bile flow.
Exercise daily for 30 minutes. Walking is highly suggested.
Following the above suggestions will ensure that your digestive system operates to its fullest and will help to alleviate many of the side-effects from gallbladder removal.
So your gallbladder is gone...that's the past. It's time to move on and educate yourself in getting healthy and feeling better. Following the above suggestions will ensure that your digestive system operates to its fullest and will help to alleviate many of the side-effect from gallbladder removal. You can feel good again after gallbladder surgery, but for most it will mean committing to a total lifestyle change that will be beneficial in more ways than just one.
As with most disease, prevention is the best solution, but when disease strikes remember that there are always solutions and always hope.
If you have any doubts about the self-healing power of your body,
consult your naturopath or health practitioner for advise!
By: Dr. Loretta Lanphier, ND, CN, HHP
Roughly 20 million Americans suffer from gallstones, and 750,000 of them have their gallbladders removed each year. There are 800,000 hospitalizations $2 billion spend annually on gallbladder disease.
For most people the pain of a malfunctioning gallbladder eventually becomes unbearable. After one or two trips to the emergency room the suggestion of surgery is met with certain approval. Unfortunately this may or may not end the pain and discomfort. The probable after-effects of gallbladder surgery are never discussed with the patient which leaves the patient with the impression that all will be well after surgery. But it doesn't take long to realize that all is "not well" and the patient soon begins to feel very betrayed by their surgeon and doctor who did not prepare them for "life without a gallbladder."
Contrary to medical opinion the gallbladder is of use to the body. The gallbladder is a small sac underneath your liver that stores and secretes bile, a digestive fluid that breaks down fats. Gallstones form when the chemical compounds in bile become unbalanced -- no one's sure exactly why this happens, but a diet high in fat often makes the problem worse. Since bile is actually produced by the liver, it's possible to survive without a gallbladder, but often not without unpleasant digestive tract complications.The gallbladder is like a pump. Without it, the liver can't secrete enough bile to properly digest a full meal. Many people experience symptoms such as diarrhea, gas, abdominal pain, bloating, indigestion, constipation, increased allergies, liver congestion, itchy skin and autoimmune diseases. Some patients suffer from dumping syndrome, in which food is "dumped" too quickly into the intestines from the stomach.
Suggestions for living without a gallbladder:
Diet is extremely important. Eat low-fat, high fiber, organic and healthy. Eliminate refined carbohydrates and hydrogenated oils.
Liver Flush - Every four months. People without gallbladders may develop stones in the liver which will lead to a sluggish liver.
Parasite Cleanse - Two times a year. I recommend a six-week course of Para-Buster then maintenance for 3 weeks.
Digestive Enzymes - Take 3-5 capsules at least 15 minutes before each meal. You will need to take enzymes for the rest of your life in order to digest the good fats (Omega 3) which are essential for good health.
Reduce chemical overload on the liver (pre-packaged food, personal care products, lawn products, perfumes, cosmetics, etc.)
Drink only filtered water - Try to drink 1/2 your body weight in ounces of water every day.
Use a Probiotic - I recommend Latero-Flora or Primal Defense.
Reduce animal intake (meat and dairy) - When consuming animal products make sure they are free-range, organic and hormone-free.
Eliminate white sugar and white flour.
Consume a green drink or pills equal to one-two tablespoons daily. Quantum Greens is a good choice.
Activated Charcoal - Some people have found that this helps with symptoms as it helps to sequester bile acid.
Chinese Bitters (Chinese Gentian with Bupleurum) in the morning and Coptis with Bupleurum at night to stimulate bile flow.
Exercise daily for 30 minutes. Walking is highly suggested.
Following the above suggestions will ensure that your digestive system operates to its fullest and will help to alleviate many of the side-effects from gallbladder removal.
So your gallbladder is gone...that's the past. It's time to move on and educate yourself in getting healthy and feeling better. Following the above suggestions will ensure that your digestive system operates to its fullest and will help to alleviate many of the side-effect from gallbladder removal. You can feel good again after gallbladder surgery, but for most it will mean committing to a total lifestyle change that will be beneficial in more ways than just one.
As with most disease, prevention is the best solution, but when disease strikes remember that there are always solutions and always hope.
If you have any doubts about the self-healing power of your body,
consult your naturopath or health practitioner for advise!
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Breaking News - Why Exercising at This Time of Day is FAR Better than Any Other Time...
Personal note from Miriam:
In the summer of 2008 up until my car accident, I was working out 6 days per week doing exactly what Dr. Mercola is recommending here. I worked out at 6:30 AM with nothing in my stomach except my one shot of Seven+. I then would work out and drink only water the whole time. I felt incredible that whole time!
---------------------------------
Posted by: Dr. Mercola | January 04 2011 |
A new study suggests that exercising in the morning, before eating, can significantly lessen the ill effects of a poor holiday diet.
Researchers recruited healthy, active young men and fed them a bad diet for six weeks. A group of them that exercised before breakfast gained almost no weight and showed no signs of insulin resistance. What's more, they burned the fat they were taking in more efficiently.
According to the New York Times:
"... [W]orking out before breakfast directly combated the two most detrimental effects of eating a high-fat, high-calorie diet. It also helped the men avoid gaining weight."
Sources:
New York Times December 15, 2010
Journal of Physiology Nov 1, 2010;588(Pt 21):4289-302
Dr. Mercola's Comments:
I'm an advocate of exercising first thing in the morning for two reasons:
It gets done. Despite your best intentions, any number of things can happen in the afternoon and evening, making you skip exercise for “lack of time”
There are additional health benefits to exercising before consuming your first meal of the day
The study above is a great illustration of how making slight changes to the order of your daily routine can dramatically improve your end results.
Exercising Before Breakfast Counteracts Poor Diet and Aids Weight Loss
The study in question lasted for six weeks. It included 28 healthy men between the ages of 18 and 25, divided into three groups; those who:
Exercised before eating a carbohydrate-rich breakfast, and drank only water during exercise
Ate a carbohydrate-rich breakfast before exercising, and drank sugary drinks such as sports drinks during their workout
Ate an identical diet but did not exercise at all
The men who exercised, ran and cycled at a strenuous intensity four times a week.
Overall, the men had identical high-calorie, high-fat diets. The primary difference was whether—and most importantly, when—they exercised. The other difference was the type of beverages they drank during exercise.
At the end of the trial, the non-exercising control group had gained an average of more than six pounds, and had developed insulin resistance—the precursor to type 2 diabetes.
Those who ate breakfast prior to hitting the gym gained an average of about three pounds; half the weight gain of those who did not exercise. However, they too had developed insulin resistance…
The only group that gained almost no weight, and showed no signs of insulin resistance were those who exercised before eating breakfast, and drank only water during their workout.
I want to draw your attention to how the type of beverage consumed during exercise can also have a major impact on your weight loss and health goals.
You'll want to avoid all types of sugary drinks, including sports drinks, for up to two hours after your workout because fructose obliterates the growth hormone response. You'll find more information about that at the end of this article.
Clearly, the fasting exercise group reaped the benefits of both fasting and not ruining their efforts with carbohydrate-rich beverages...
The authors concluded that:
"This study for the first time shows that fasted training is more potent than fed training to facilitate adaptations in muscle and to improve whole-body glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity during hyper-caloric fat-rich diet."
That's quite remarkable, considering all three groups consumed very high caloric diets. This is powerful evidence that occasional indulgences do not have to lead to excessive weight gain, which is great news for most of us, especially in light of the recent holidays.
But even beyond holiday excesses, it's quite clear that something as simple as modifying your schedule to exercise before eating your first meal of the day can have a very beneficial and protective impact on your health and weight.
How Fasting Forces Your Body to Shed Excess Fat, and Combats Insulin Resistance
One of the explanations for how exercising on an empty stomach can prevent weight gain and insulin resistance despite overindulgence is that your body's fat burning processes are controlled by your sympathetic nervous system (SNS), and your SNS is activated by exercise and lack of food.
The combination of fasting and exercising maximizes the impact of cellular factors and catalysts (cyclic AMP and AMP Kinases), which force the breakdown of fat and glycogen for energy.
This is why training on an empty stomach will effectively force your body to burn fat.
It's also important to realize that eating a full meal, particularly carbohydrates, will inhibit your sympathetic nervous system and reduce the fat burning effect of your exercise. Instead, eating lots of carbs activates your parasympathetic nervous system, (which promotes energy storage—the complete opposite of what you're aiming for.
This can explain why those who exercised vigorously but ate a carbohydrate-rich breakfast first still ended up gaining weight, albeit not as much as those who did not exercise at all.
More important, however, is the impact fasting exercise can have on your insulin regulation. The researchers concluded that those who fasted before exercise had increased levels of a certain muscle protein that plays a pivotal role in insulin sensitivity.
As I've explained in numerous articles, insulin resistance is the root cause of most chronic disease, making maintaining proper insulin regulation a primary factor of good health.
In a nutshell, you do that by:
Exercising regularly
Avoiding sugar/fructose, and grains (including organic whole grains as they too will quickly convert to sugar in your body and lead to insulin resistance)
Based on the impressive results from the study above, you may also want to consider exercising prior to having your breakfast to optimize the beneficial impact of your exercise on your insulin regulation.
Other Pro's and Con's of Exercising on an Empty Stomach
Keep in mind that the majority of the "fuel" used during most exercise is not actually coming from the food you have just eaten. If you're working out at a moderate to high intensity you're using glycogen and fat that is stored in your muscles, liver, and fat cells. Typically, your body has enough of that stored fuel to last for one to two hours of intense work, or three to four hours at moderate intensity.
Therefore, if you are consuming a high quality diet, eating every three to four hours, your body may not need anything to eat before you begin your workout.
Still, some people do have a hard time exercising without eating something first.
Typically these people are more sensitive to changes in their blood sugar levels, which can decline during the first 15-25 minutes of their workout. It is this decline in blood sugar that causes dizziness, faintness, nausea or lightheadedness. This is especially true if you exercise first thing in the morning.
Additionally, exercising on an empty stomach may not appeal to athletes as it will typically reduce overall performance. Professional athletes may also not be as concerned with fat loss.
I believe the best approach is to use some common sense and listen to your body.
A number of individual factors can play a role, such as your age, when you last ate, whether or not you're pregnant, taking medications, your medical history, level of fitness, and the type of workout you engage in.
For example, if you feel weak or nauseous while exercising on an empty stomach, you may want to at least eat a small meal before exercising.
Fortunately, there's a near perfect breakfast food that may offer the best of both worlds.
What to Eat Before Exercise to Really Boost Fat Burning
Yes, there's another, perhaps even more efficient way to boost fat burning without fasting.
A recent study published in the journal Medicine and Science in Sports & Exercise, demonstrated that consuming whey protein (20g protein / serving) 30 minutes before resistance training boosts your body's metabolism for as much as 24 hours after your workout.
It appears as though the amino acids found in high quality whey protein activate certain cellular mechanisms (mTORC-1), which in turn promote muscle protein synthesis, boost thyroid, and also protect against declining testosterone levels after exercise.
In practical terms, consuming 20 grams of whey protein before exercise and another serving afterward will most likely yield the double benefit of increasing both fat burning and muscle build-up at the same time.
Again, not everyone will need to eat something prior to exercise, but if you do, a high quality whey protein is one of your best bets. It'll curb your hunger while still optimizing fat burning.
Whey protein is also known for its ability to help your insulin work more effectively, which, again, is one of the primary benefits of fasting prior to exercise.
For more information about whey protein—known as the gold standard of proteins—listen to my interview with Ori Hofmekler, author of The Warrior Diet. He's a wealth of knowledge when it comes to fitness and how to use food to burn fat, build muscle, and optimize your health.
A Great Way to Start Your Morning
Personally, I typically exercise first thing in the morning, before eating, and then have a whey protein shake for breakfast. This ensures that I get my exercises done before anything has the opportunity to derail my plans, and gives me plenty of energy for the day ahead.
Earlier last year I posted my own breakfast shake recipe, which took me quite a while to develop, so if you missed it, feel free to review it now. It's packed with nutrients and is perfect both as a healthful breakfast and post-work out meal.
It should be noted for clarity, however, that whey protein is NOT a weight loss supplement, in and of itself. Without the exercise, it will not magically help you lose weight.
The Most Effective Exercise for Weight Loss and Optimal Health
Since we're talking about fat burning it's important to realize that the type of exercise you perform will also have a major impact on this process.
I recently wrote about the many health benefits of high-intensity burst-type exercises such as Peak 8. Improved fat burning is just the beginning when it comes to this type of training!
Performed two or three times a week, Peak 8 exercises will boost your body's natural production of human growth hormone (HGH), and slow down telomere shortening—both of which are tied to the aging processes of your body. To learn more, please see this link.
During these high intensity, sprint-type exercises you raise your heart rate up to your anaerobic threshold for 30 seconds, followed by a 90 second recovery period. The cycle is then repeated for a total of eight repetitions—hence the term "Peak 8."
Another boon of Peak 8 exercises is the amount of time you save. Including a three minute warm up and two minute cool down, your total time investment is a mere 20 minutes as opposed to your regular hour-long treadmill session.
I've been doing Peak 8 exercises since April 2010 and have shed over 17 pounds of fat and three inches off my waist while gaining more than five pounds of muscle, all while dramatically reducing the time I spend in the gym.
For a more in-depth explanation of the peak fitness program, which is a comprehensive exercise plan that also includes strength training, core exercises and stretching, please review this recent article.
So, to summarize the diet and health advice discussed above:
Exercising before breakfast can help prevent weight gain and insulin resistance, even when consuming an excess amount of calories and carbs
Quench your thirst during exercise with pure, clean water only. Sugary drinks such as sports drinks will obliterate many of the most impressive health benefits of your training
If you can't, or don't want to exercise on an empty stomach, your ideal breakfast alternative is a high quality whey protein. It will help boost metabolism for as much as 24 hours after your workout and promote healthy insulin secretion
Incorporate high-intensity burst-type exercises like Peak 8 into your fitness regimen to further maximize fat burning and slow down the aging process
In the summer of 2008 up until my car accident, I was working out 6 days per week doing exactly what Dr. Mercola is recommending here. I worked out at 6:30 AM with nothing in my stomach except my one shot of Seven+. I then would work out and drink only water the whole time. I felt incredible that whole time!
---------------------------------
Posted by: Dr. Mercola | January 04 2011 |
A new study suggests that exercising in the morning, before eating, can significantly lessen the ill effects of a poor holiday diet.
Researchers recruited healthy, active young men and fed them a bad diet for six weeks. A group of them that exercised before breakfast gained almost no weight and showed no signs of insulin resistance. What's more, they burned the fat they were taking in more efficiently.
According to the New York Times:
"... [W]orking out before breakfast directly combated the two most detrimental effects of eating a high-fat, high-calorie diet. It also helped the men avoid gaining weight."
Sources:
New York Times December 15, 2010
Journal of Physiology Nov 1, 2010;588(Pt 21):4289-302
Dr. Mercola's Comments:
I'm an advocate of exercising first thing in the morning for two reasons:
It gets done. Despite your best intentions, any number of things can happen in the afternoon and evening, making you skip exercise for “lack of time”
There are additional health benefits to exercising before consuming your first meal of the day
The study above is a great illustration of how making slight changes to the order of your daily routine can dramatically improve your end results.
Exercising Before Breakfast Counteracts Poor Diet and Aids Weight Loss
The study in question lasted for six weeks. It included 28 healthy men between the ages of 18 and 25, divided into three groups; those who:
Exercised before eating a carbohydrate-rich breakfast, and drank only water during exercise
Ate a carbohydrate-rich breakfast before exercising, and drank sugary drinks such as sports drinks during their workout
Ate an identical diet but did not exercise at all
The men who exercised, ran and cycled at a strenuous intensity four times a week.
Overall, the men had identical high-calorie, high-fat diets. The primary difference was whether—and most importantly, when—they exercised. The other difference was the type of beverages they drank during exercise.
At the end of the trial, the non-exercising control group had gained an average of more than six pounds, and had developed insulin resistance—the precursor to type 2 diabetes.
Those who ate breakfast prior to hitting the gym gained an average of about three pounds; half the weight gain of those who did not exercise. However, they too had developed insulin resistance…
The only group that gained almost no weight, and showed no signs of insulin resistance were those who exercised before eating breakfast, and drank only water during their workout.
I want to draw your attention to how the type of beverage consumed during exercise can also have a major impact on your weight loss and health goals.
You'll want to avoid all types of sugary drinks, including sports drinks, for up to two hours after your workout because fructose obliterates the growth hormone response. You'll find more information about that at the end of this article.
Clearly, the fasting exercise group reaped the benefits of both fasting and not ruining their efforts with carbohydrate-rich beverages...
The authors concluded that:
"This study for the first time shows that fasted training is more potent than fed training to facilitate adaptations in muscle and to improve whole-body glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity during hyper-caloric fat-rich diet."
That's quite remarkable, considering all three groups consumed very high caloric diets. This is powerful evidence that occasional indulgences do not have to lead to excessive weight gain, which is great news for most of us, especially in light of the recent holidays.
But even beyond holiday excesses, it's quite clear that something as simple as modifying your schedule to exercise before eating your first meal of the day can have a very beneficial and protective impact on your health and weight.
How Fasting Forces Your Body to Shed Excess Fat, and Combats Insulin Resistance
One of the explanations for how exercising on an empty stomach can prevent weight gain and insulin resistance despite overindulgence is that your body's fat burning processes are controlled by your sympathetic nervous system (SNS), and your SNS is activated by exercise and lack of food.
The combination of fasting and exercising maximizes the impact of cellular factors and catalysts (cyclic AMP and AMP Kinases), which force the breakdown of fat and glycogen for energy.
This is why training on an empty stomach will effectively force your body to burn fat.
It's also important to realize that eating a full meal, particularly carbohydrates, will inhibit your sympathetic nervous system and reduce the fat burning effect of your exercise. Instead, eating lots of carbs activates your parasympathetic nervous system, (which promotes energy storage—the complete opposite of what you're aiming for.
This can explain why those who exercised vigorously but ate a carbohydrate-rich breakfast first still ended up gaining weight, albeit not as much as those who did not exercise at all.
More important, however, is the impact fasting exercise can have on your insulin regulation. The researchers concluded that those who fasted before exercise had increased levels of a certain muscle protein that plays a pivotal role in insulin sensitivity.
As I've explained in numerous articles, insulin resistance is the root cause of most chronic disease, making maintaining proper insulin regulation a primary factor of good health.
In a nutshell, you do that by:
Exercising regularly
Avoiding sugar/fructose, and grains (including organic whole grains as they too will quickly convert to sugar in your body and lead to insulin resistance)
Based on the impressive results from the study above, you may also want to consider exercising prior to having your breakfast to optimize the beneficial impact of your exercise on your insulin regulation.
Other Pro's and Con's of Exercising on an Empty Stomach
Keep in mind that the majority of the "fuel" used during most exercise is not actually coming from the food you have just eaten. If you're working out at a moderate to high intensity you're using glycogen and fat that is stored in your muscles, liver, and fat cells. Typically, your body has enough of that stored fuel to last for one to two hours of intense work, or three to four hours at moderate intensity.
Therefore, if you are consuming a high quality diet, eating every three to four hours, your body may not need anything to eat before you begin your workout.
Still, some people do have a hard time exercising without eating something first.
Typically these people are more sensitive to changes in their blood sugar levels, which can decline during the first 15-25 minutes of their workout. It is this decline in blood sugar that causes dizziness, faintness, nausea or lightheadedness. This is especially true if you exercise first thing in the morning.
Additionally, exercising on an empty stomach may not appeal to athletes as it will typically reduce overall performance. Professional athletes may also not be as concerned with fat loss.
I believe the best approach is to use some common sense and listen to your body.
A number of individual factors can play a role, such as your age, when you last ate, whether or not you're pregnant, taking medications, your medical history, level of fitness, and the type of workout you engage in.
For example, if you feel weak or nauseous while exercising on an empty stomach, you may want to at least eat a small meal before exercising.
Fortunately, there's a near perfect breakfast food that may offer the best of both worlds.
What to Eat Before Exercise to Really Boost Fat Burning
Yes, there's another, perhaps even more efficient way to boost fat burning without fasting.
A recent study published in the journal Medicine and Science in Sports & Exercise, demonstrated that consuming whey protein (20g protein / serving) 30 minutes before resistance training boosts your body's metabolism for as much as 24 hours after your workout.
It appears as though the amino acids found in high quality whey protein activate certain cellular mechanisms (mTORC-1), which in turn promote muscle protein synthesis, boost thyroid, and also protect against declining testosterone levels after exercise.
In practical terms, consuming 20 grams of whey protein before exercise and another serving afterward will most likely yield the double benefit of increasing both fat burning and muscle build-up at the same time.
Again, not everyone will need to eat something prior to exercise, but if you do, a high quality whey protein is one of your best bets. It'll curb your hunger while still optimizing fat burning.
Whey protein is also known for its ability to help your insulin work more effectively, which, again, is one of the primary benefits of fasting prior to exercise.
For more information about whey protein—known as the gold standard of proteins—listen to my interview with Ori Hofmekler, author of The Warrior Diet. He's a wealth of knowledge when it comes to fitness and how to use food to burn fat, build muscle, and optimize your health.
A Great Way to Start Your Morning
Personally, I typically exercise first thing in the morning, before eating, and then have a whey protein shake for breakfast. This ensures that I get my exercises done before anything has the opportunity to derail my plans, and gives me plenty of energy for the day ahead.
Earlier last year I posted my own breakfast shake recipe, which took me quite a while to develop, so if you missed it, feel free to review it now. It's packed with nutrients and is perfect both as a healthful breakfast and post-work out meal.
It should be noted for clarity, however, that whey protein is NOT a weight loss supplement, in and of itself. Without the exercise, it will not magically help you lose weight.
The Most Effective Exercise for Weight Loss and Optimal Health
Since we're talking about fat burning it's important to realize that the type of exercise you perform will also have a major impact on this process.
I recently wrote about the many health benefits of high-intensity burst-type exercises such as Peak 8. Improved fat burning is just the beginning when it comes to this type of training!
Performed two or three times a week, Peak 8 exercises will boost your body's natural production of human growth hormone (HGH), and slow down telomere shortening—both of which are tied to the aging processes of your body. To learn more, please see this link.
During these high intensity, sprint-type exercises you raise your heart rate up to your anaerobic threshold for 30 seconds, followed by a 90 second recovery period. The cycle is then repeated for a total of eight repetitions—hence the term "Peak 8."
Another boon of Peak 8 exercises is the amount of time you save. Including a three minute warm up and two minute cool down, your total time investment is a mere 20 minutes as opposed to your regular hour-long treadmill session.
I've been doing Peak 8 exercises since April 2010 and have shed over 17 pounds of fat and three inches off my waist while gaining more than five pounds of muscle, all while dramatically reducing the time I spend in the gym.
For a more in-depth explanation of the peak fitness program, which is a comprehensive exercise plan that also includes strength training, core exercises and stretching, please review this recent article.
So, to summarize the diet and health advice discussed above:
Exercising before breakfast can help prevent weight gain and insulin resistance, even when consuming an excess amount of calories and carbs
Quench your thirst during exercise with pure, clean water only. Sugary drinks such as sports drinks will obliterate many of the most impressive health benefits of your training
If you can't, or don't want to exercise on an empty stomach, your ideal breakfast alternative is a high quality whey protein. It will help boost metabolism for as much as 24 hours after your workout and promote healthy insulin secretion
Incorporate high-intensity burst-type exercises like Peak 8 into your fitness regimen to further maximize fat burning and slow down the aging process
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)