Coach Dinos » Diet & Nutrition

Metabolism and weight

coachdinos — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 21:15:21 +0000

It may be tempting to blame your metabolism for weight gain. But because metabolism is a natural process, your body generally balances it to meet your individual needs. That’s why if you try so-called starvation diets, your body compensates by slowing down these bodily processes and conserving calories for survival. Only in rare cases do you get excessive weight gain from a medical problem that slows metabolism, such as Cushing’s syndrome or having an underactive thyroid gland (hypothyroidism).

Read the original article: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/metabolism/WT00006/METHOD=print .

From CalorieLab: New York City campaign warns against soda consumption

coachdinos — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 22:22:02 +0000

“Health Commissioner Thomas A. Farley says sugary drinks shouldn’t be a part of anyone’s daily diet, and that almost half of the 200 or 300 extra calories that people consume these days compared to 30 years ago come from sodas, sports drinks and sweetened coffee and tea.”

Read the full article

Fructose vs High Fructose Corn syrup controversy

coachdinos — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 23:58:20 +0000

The Fructose and High Fructose Corn Syrup generated some good comments and questions, which I knew it would because of its controversial nature and all the conflicting research that is out about these two nutrients.

It reminded me to reinforce something that I try to teach everyone, but it is sometimes hard to do because of all the mass media stories that for some reason seem to be believed before something I say or any other health professional for that matter.

When you hear about these studies that say fructose causes weight gain or high fructose corn syrup has fructose in its formula they are many times unique studies on just one nutrient by itself or it was researched in a specific environment.

Generally neither of these forms of studies actually relate to how we live and eat on a day to day basis.

http://getridofmygut.com/main/fructose/

Chemicals Increasingly Linked to Obesity

coachdinos — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 23:54:34 +0000

Obesity has become a national epidemic and it is increasingly creeping into the youngest of our population. In fact, an alarming new study reports that 1 in 5 American 4-year-olds is obese, up 300% since the 1980s, and many more are considered seriously overweight. This epidemic has compelled many to predict that our children will be the first generation to have a shorter lifespan than their parents. What’s going on?

Antioxidants article from Shape Fit

coachdinos — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 21:43:28 +0000

Below is a short excerpt from Shape Fit on Antioxidants. Very well written, couldn’t have done a better job myself!

Antioxidants, just as the name implies, are substances that combat the process of oxidation. Oxygen is necessary to many body processes, and oxidation is a natural chemical reaction, which takes place both within our bodies and in our environment. Some common oxidative reactions are the rusting of iron and the darkening of foods like potatoes when they are exposed to the oxygen in air. Although the oxidation reactions that take place in our bodies are normal, they can be harmful when they produce free radicals or chemically active molecules that have a charge on them due to an excess or deficient number of electrons. These charged, free radicals are very unstable and they try to scavenge or donate electrons to surrounding tissues, and while doing this, they often damage these tissues. Blood vessel damage that leads to heart disease is believed to be caused by free radical damage. Cancer, some degenerative eye problems, old age, and other inflammatory conditions are also believed to be affected by these unstable byproducts of oxidation. One would assume, therefore, that antioxidants could be very useful in preventing or possibly curing many diseases. And some studies have shown them to be helpful.

Read the full article.

SP’s guide to herbal supplements

coachdinos — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 15:20:34 +0000

Guide to Herbal Supplements

Except from article:

An estimated 18 million adults use herbs in some form, and the sale of these products continues to increase.

Herbal supplements, which come from plants that have medicinal properties, claim to cure, treat, or prevent disease. But when an herbal supplement is billed as “natural” on the label, that doesn’t ensure its efficacy, purity, or safety. Although there are proven health benefits for some herbal products, potentially harmful effects exist for others.

Claims about herbal products are often based on folklore or testimonial instead of scientific studies. It is important to read reliable information and search out unbiased sources of research, when available. Because herbal supplements are not standardized, the same herb can be found in different products in varying amounts. This can lead to toxic levels that may cause harmful reactions in the body. Do not assume that “natural” means safe.

Facts about carbohydrates

coachdinos — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 15:25:05 +0000

Here’s a very good article about carbohydrates, aka “carbs”. Many people believe they are the enemy while they really aren’t. Read some facts from registered dietitian Lisa Cicciarello:

Carbohydrates have gotten a bad rep these past few years due to various fad diets, when in reality- it’s what our bodies need most. Carbohydrates fuel our brain and muscles, and without them, we can’t function properly. However, the type of carbohydrate you choose can impact your blood sugar and insulin levels, which can enhance or impair your health.

More about sugar

coachdinos — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 15:19:16 +0000

They also specifically mention that you should still continue to eat fruit, but just avoid processed foods that contain high fructose corn syrup. The reason being is fruit also contains fiber which effects how the sugars get into the blood stream in the first place. This is a whole other area of research that one could delve into.

Take home message for today…

Avoid processed foods that contain high fructose corn syrup, continue to eat your whole fruits and most importantly be careful what you read from mainstream media. Research it further before coming to a conclusion.

- Jayson Hunter, http://getridofmygut.com

Any idea how refined sugar is made?

coachdinos — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 04:59:41 +0000

White refined sugar has become the most common form of sugar in North America as well as in Europe. Refined sugar can be made by dissolving raw sugar and purifying it with a phosphoric acid method similar to that used for blanco directo, a carbonatation process involving calcium hydroxide and carbon dioxide, or by various filtration strategies. It is then further purified by filtration through a bed of activated carbon or bone char depending on where the processing takes place. Beet sugar refineries produce refined white sugar directly without an intermediate raw stage. White refined sugar is typically sold as granulated sugar, which has been dried to prevent clumping.

¹ Sugar, Wikipedia, English Edition

Hate to exercise? Read what these SparkPeople have to say

coachdinos — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 12:51:55 +0000

One fitness website I frequent is SparkPeople. Lots of content but importantly they’ve got a lot good community. Many people I talk to don’t like to exercise. It’s hard. Its “easier” to sit on the couch, or in a bookstore and read. Going to the gym and exercising requires effort and after a long day at work, sometimes that’s just not going to happen.

This happens to almost everyone and is a very common them. Definitely happens to me. SparkPeople asked their readers to comment on this topic – read what they to say.