Month: June 2015

Categories
Nosh

The Only Way I Drink My Coffee

The caffeine kick alone is enough for me to empty my savings account to Starbucks, but coffee has other some awesome benefits like decreasing the chances you’ll get Parkinson’s, gallstones, kidney stones, oral cancer and type 2 diabetes.  It also helps you concentrate more and workout harder and longer.  Sounds like the perfect panacea, right?
Not so fast… coffee can also do some pretty crappy things to you.  I know first hand.
My love affair with coffee led me crippled and begging for mercy at the hands of my ENT doctor with the worst case of acid reflux.  I was sure someone poured Ajax down my throat while I was sleeping.  Doctor Tom mumbled something about warning me about my coffee crutch then bid me farewell with a fist full of Nexium samples.  28 pills and 2 weeks later my raw throat felt like a dull ache but still wasn’t much better.  In fact it hurt to even breathe!
I googled natural reflux remedies and up popped coconut water.  I thought, “What’s better than healing my throat with a pina colada?!” (FYI….coconut water tastes nothing like a caribbean cocktail)
After 3 days of sucking a serving down daily I noticed my symptoms improve!  And oddly enough I also noticed feeling less bloated.  If coconut water could help my acid reflux, could it do more?!
Harvested from the insides of the fruit, coconut water is considered a superfood that contains easily digested carbs in the form of sugar and electrolytes and is filled with minerals, vitamins, antioxidants, amino acids and enzymes.  It contains fiber, is low in calories and is cholesterol free.  In addition to a ton of remedies, this elixir of the gods has the superpower to help alleviate most of the negative effects of coffee.  Here are the top 6 cons of coffee and how coconut water can help:
1.  Con:  Increases your blood pressure.  Coffee can cause a short, dramatic spike in your blood pressure and a long term increase in blood pressure.  Both are pretty bad for you.  Doctors believe that caffeine may cause the arteries to widen thereby causing the spike in pressure, but more importantly, coffee messes up the delicate balance of potassium and sodium and other minerals important in keeping normal pressure.
How CW helps:  One serving contains and can replace the 5 electrolytes that are essential to your body including:  calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium and sodium that are lost when you drink coffee.  CW actually contains as much potassium as 4 bananas!  Without all the sugar.
2.  Con:  Causes acid reflux.  Doctors believe that caffeine may relax the lower esophageal sphincter, which normally remains closed keeping strong stomach acid out, causing acid to creep up your throat.
How CW helps:  It’s rich in fiber and enzymes that are touted as the best natural cure for sour stomachs and acid reflux.  CW is a “basic” beverage and counteracts coffee’s acidity in the stomach and soothes raw throats….almost immediately!
3.  Con:  It can give you headaches.  Studies have shown that frequent cluster headache and migraine sufferers have lower levels of magnesium.  Coffee interferes with your body’s ability to absorb important minerals like magnesium.
How CW helps:  One serving contains 7% of the RDA of magnesium and can help replenish your stores and keep you pain free.
4.  Con:  Dehydrates you.  Since your body can’t store caffeine, you need to excrete it.  Up to 6 hours after drinking coffee, you’ll eliminate all traces of it through your urine and sweat.  The more caffeine you drink, the more you’ll pee.  The more you pee, the more dehydrated your body gets.
How CW helps:  A study published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise shows that CW replenishes bodily fluids as good as sports drinks, without all of the sugar, and better than water.  It’s also been labeled “Mother Nature’s Sports Drink” and a 2007 study reported that it was easier to consume in large amounts during rehydration.
5.  Con:  Makes you gain weight.  Caffeine and acids in coffee irritate your stomach and the lining of your small intestine.  It can wreak havoc on your digestive tract and stimulate spasms that cause belly bloating and bowel movement issues (so you alternate between being constipated and diarrhea….fun times).  Caffeine can also cause you to retain water system wide, and bump up your scale up to 5 lbs (even less fun).
How CW helps:  It’s a potassium powerhouse and contains up to 600 whopping mg in a single serving.  Potassium combats sodium and helps you dispel added water weight.  It also regulates fluid balance and helps the kidneys to eliminate waste (ie excessive water weight).
When choosing a coconut water make sure to look for one that is 100% water with no added sugar, flavors or preservatives.  Look especially for ones without citric acid.   Flavored coconut waters usually have citric acid added to them which negates its ability to help acid reflux.
Happy sipping!!

Categories
Sweat

Why Corset Training Doesn't Work

“How do I get rid of my belly fat?”

Gosh, I can’t count how many times I’ve been asked this very simple question over the course of my 15-plus years of specializing in weight loss and weight management.

Without a doubt, the midsection is by far the most widely targeted area of the body among the sexes but definitely the biggest nuisance for women. Between our menstrual cycles, pregnancy, menopause, contraceptive use, and general hormonal ups and downs, we’re definitely getting the short end of the stick when it comes to the overall buildup of belly fat.

I’m even convinced that a mere common goal of eliminating this troubled spot has brought real unity to women of all ages, cultures, ethnicities, races, and socioeconomic backgrounds.

Just look at the growing global craze of “waist training” corsets for women, which have truly taken the weight loss market by storm. This practice isn’t at all new, as waist cinchers have been mass-produced for centuries in order to meet the needs of women wishing to easily and effortless achieve the coveted hourglass figure.

Although the practice of waist training (“tightlacing”) has been around for years, it’s just recently been touted as a belly fat burning spot reducing exercise of sorts that promotes efficient and effective weight loss and improves posture while also eliminating ‘toxins’ through sweat.

So, if you can achieve this much with a corset, why eat right or exercise at all?

Well, if it seems too good to be true, it probably is!

Women who’ve jumped on the waist training bandwagon are clearly oblivious to one simple fact: Belly fat is complicated.

What’s generally referred to as “belly fat” is actually a mixture of two types of fat tissue housed in the abdominal region. The first type, known as subcutaneous fat, is situated just underneath the skin and directly in front of the abdominal muscles. The presence of love handles (“muffin top”) is a tell-tail sign of subcutaneous fat accumulation.

The second type of belly fat is visceral fat, which is located behind the abdominal muscles where it surrounds the body’s internal organs. When visceral fat builds up in excessive amounts the abdominal muscles tend to protrude or bulge, which manifests as a firm “gut” or a “beer belly”.

Moreover, vanity aside, it’s an excess of visceral fat that’s linked to many of the health problems commonly associated with obesity including high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and type 2 diabetes.

Can simply wearing a waist cinching corset single-handedly reduce visceral fat accumulation in a way that helps to wipe away all these health problems?

Contrary to what many women believe subcutaneous fat is the only type that waist training can indirectly influence and the process is pretty cut and dry. During tightlacing, the distribution of this fat is simply shifted upwards and downwards towards the top and bottom edges of a corset.

The waist slimming effects of tightlacing are further augmented through compression of your stomach, intestines, and other organs housed in the abdominal region. So, if your garment is tight enough perhaps you may find it difficult to indulge in your favorite naughty foods without indigestion, which can indirectly lead to food abstinence and consequential weight loss.

But why even go through such drastic measures for a short-term fix?

Wearing a corset cannot and will not burn belly fat so please don’t be misled by the marketing hype. Fat burning requires continuous creation of calorie deficits, which only occurs if you take in fewer calories than you burn, plain and simple.

Unbeknownst to many, waist training with a corset won’t encourage muscle development in the midsection either. In fact, it’s actually quite the opposite.

Regular use of a corset promotes core muscle weakness, largely due to an almost complete reliance on the garment for support. This is definitely a case where the phrase “use it or lose it” applies.

Such muscle weakness may be either a cause or an effect of muscle atrophy, which basically means that the muscles have lost their strength due to reduced use. Over time, this can lead to faulty posture, lower back pain, and other muscle and joint-related issues.

Now this doesn’t present a problem if you’re constantly tightlacing. Problems arise when you stop wearing a corset after extended periods of wearing it.

In the end, it’s just not worth it.

Occasional use of a corset for physical perfection or fetish purposes is one thing. Doing so for extended periods of time, day in and day out will inevitably lead to unnecessary problems. Like a fad diet, becoming a chronic “tightlacer” will only yield short-term waist slimming results and may actually do more harm than good.

For maximal fat burning and overall good health, better to incorporate sensible eating habits with regular exercise training. You and your body will be a heck of a lot happier in the end.

Categories
Nosh

What A Handful of Cherries Can Do For You

Growing up, I hated cherries. A go-getter in most other aspects of life, food that was the least bit challenging clearly brought out my lazy streak.
I gave no thought to the cherry’s delicious, juicy, sweet-tart flavor, mind you. My loathing was entirely placed directly on that yucky pit. Ugh! Such a pain to pop a cherry, and have to spit part of it back.
I was too much of a health novice at the time to realize that a cherry’s pit actually contains a bit of magic. Just like de-shelling a pistachio or savoring a frozen grape, removing the pit from a cherry forces you to s-l-o-w  d-o-w-n your eating. When you’re taking your time, it feels like you’re eating more — and your body can start to recognize when it’s actually full, so you don’t overeat and add extra calories.
So, my advice? Snack on cherries, kids. At roughly 75 calories per cup, an itty-bitty handful of this summery fruit offers a myriad of benefits — from heart-healthy fiber to an immunity boost. Here are a few expert reasons to nosh on a cup.

To reduce inflammation

According to Lisa Moskovitz, RD, founder of New York Nutrition Group, cherries are immunity and disease-fighting superheroes. “Research shows that anthocyanins, which give cherries that vibrant red color, are a type of antioxidant that fights inflammation and damaging free radicals in the body,” she explains. In 2006, the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition ranked cherries 14th on its list of foods with the highest antioxidant content per serving.

To fill up on fiber

Fiber keeps you full and protects your heart, so it’s a good thing cherries are packed with it. “Just one cup of pitted cherries contain three grams of heart-healthy fiber that also helps regulate digestion and prevent against colon cancer,” Moskovitz says. It’s the perfect snack to keep you satiated between meals, or a sweet way to top off dinner.

To fight metabolic syndrome

We’re all looking for ways to fight obesity and its myriad of other related conditions — and cherries can help. “In a 2009 study in the Journal of Medicinal Food, researchers found a link between tart cherries and the reduction of metabolic syndrome, which includes Type-2 Diabetes.” Although this work was conducted on rats, it’s promising research to keep an eye on.

To aid in muscle recovery

Moskovitz likes cherries for the potential role they can play in muscle recovery, too. According to a study in the Journal of International Society of Sports Nutrition, consuming cherry juice before and during exercise significantly lowered post-exercise muscle soreness and reduced associated inflammation.” Drink up, and then workout.
Bottom line? Don’t discount this fruit in favor of more common fare like strawberries, bananas and blueberries. Whether you want an easy snack to help control weight, or a power-packed inflammation fighter for overall benefits, you can’t do much better than cherries.
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Categories
Nosh

Juicing Vs Blending: Which Is Really Better for You?

I’ve been a huge fan of juicing since Jay Kordich pitched the “Juiceman” juicer in the early ’90s. So much so, that I once partook in a 21-day juice fast, which ultimately led to my converting to veganism. Although I’ve since introduced seafood, poultry and selected meats into my diet, I remain somewhat of a juicing enthusiast.
But, I’ll admit that fresh juice has taken a bit of a backseat since I purchased the Vitamix 6300 and started blending. Believe me when I say that there is absolutely nothing better than the smooth rich flavor of a perfectly blended spinach, strawberry and peanut butter smoothie made with Greek yogurt.
Funny enough, in the world of liquid meal replacements I’ve noticed some glaring friction between juicing fans and blending fans, both of which offer very compelling reasons to choose one over the other.
So, here’s the underlying question: Is it better to juice or blend?
Well, honestly, comparing juicing to blending is really like comparing apples to oranges, as the nutritional composition of these beverages is not the same.
For instance, in pure form, freshly extracted juice is very rich in high-quality carbohydrates but essentially devoid of dietary fat and protein, as only small quantities are housed in vegetables and fruits. This is where juice pretty much falls short as a standalone meal.
To keep your body functioning at optimal levels throughout the day, ideally, all your meals should be well balanced in carbohydrates, fat, and protein. However, if you’re simply looking for an excellent way to sneak more vegetables and fruits into your diet, juicing is definitely a winner and your options are virtually endless.
Some of my personal favorite blends include broccoli, spinach, kale, wheatgrass, sweet peppers, carrot, and tomato. For added flavor, I typically add remnants of apple, pear, or mango juice.
Now, when it comes to blending you’re not at all limited to vegetables and fruits, as there are countless ways to incorporate all three of the essential nutrients into smoothies. Since smoothies are simply a blend of whole foods, you can easily mix your favorite vegetables and fruits with healthy fats (nuts and seeds) and protein-rich foods (milk or yogurt) that otherwise couldn’t be added to a juicer.
Moreover, when a wide array of nutrients are combined, smoothies tend to be much more filling than juice, which makes them especially beneficial if you’re seeking to lose weight.
Fiber content is another way in which the general composition of juices and smoothies differ but it’s not what you might think.
There’s actually a very common misconception that fresh juice lacks fiber, which is a type of carbohydrate that greatly contributes to disease prevention and overall good health. Contrary to popular belief, any beverage comprised of vegetables and fruits will naturally contain fiber.
The fiber contained in fresh juice is soluble. Soluble fiber slows the digestion and absorption of sugar (glucose) from the small intestine, which inhibits sudden spikes in blood glucose and insulin levels. It’s also been proven effective in stabilizing blood sugar levels and lowering blood cholesterol.
Unlike juice, smoothies have the added benefit of containing both soluble and insoluble fiber. Insoluble fiber promotes healthy elimination of wastes from the body, as it binds water making the feces bulkier and softer for quick and easy passage through the intestines.
In addition, insoluble fiber has a unique appetite-suppressing effect, which further adds to the weight loss promoting potential of smoothies. Remarkably, regular consumption of insoluble fiber also reduces the risk of pancreatic and colorectal cancers.
Taking all of these facts together, most people will conclude that blending is actually better than juicing.
Truth is, neither juicing nor blending is inherently better, as fresh juice and smoothies are both quick and convenient sources of vital nutrients. In the end, it all comes down to your personal taste and preference.
If you tend to make these beverages at home, smoothies are definitely the easiest and most convenient of the two, as a blender is all that’s required. Since fresh juicing involves extracting juice from vegetables and fruits you’ll need a juice extractor.
This can be costly depending on the type, as using a high-quality juicer is essential for preserving the nutrients and enzymes in these foods. Still, if you wish to regularly incorporate fresh juice into your diet, a good juicer is, in my opinion, a great investment.
While I’m now a fan of blending, I still love a good mix of fresh juice as a post-workout rehydrating elixir or a mid-afternoon pick-me-up.
All and all, fresh juice and smoothies make excellent inclusions in a healthy balanced diet. To ensure that you’re taking in adequate amounts of key nutrients and fiber, you can easily make it a practice to include both in your daily eating plan. Again, it all comes down to your personal preferences.

Categories
Lifestyle

Tackling the Myths Behind Pregnancy Food Restrictions

Pregnancy was by far the absolute best time of my life but also among the scariest times, as I often found myself bombarded with a boatload of conflicting information and advice on what I should and should not eat and drink.
In fact, during my second trimester I learned how failing to drink enough water could result in dirty amniotic fluid and that eating peanut butter would actually cause my child to have nut allergies.
Does this sound as ridiculous to you as it did to me?
Still, while many delusions behind pregnancy nutrition-related dos and don’ts are based on such superstitions and old wives’ tales, some are more concrete, having a bit of truth surrounding them. This holds especially true in the case of long-held beliefs and perspectives about whether or not consumption of things like coffee and alcohol, or sushi and raw fish should be restricted during pregnancy. Nonetheless, as a scientist, I’ve remained a skeptic.
Given that these foods and beverages were regular staples in my prenatal diet, I’d be remiss if I didn’t share my personal insights along with the real truths and common misconceptions that surround them.
When it comes to healthy eating and good nutrition in general, I believe in moderation, not elimination.
As an American, I’ve always found it interesting how we possess all the “rules” and guidelines pertaining to good nutrition and living well, yet we’re still among the heaviest, sickest, and most stressed people worldwide. On the flip side, the many Europeans who smoke in moderation, drink in moderation, and have diets largely comprised of saturated fat are relatively leaner, much healthier, and arguably happier than us here in the states.
European women also tend to be more liberal when it comes to the ways in which they eat and drink during pregnancy but remarkably the rates of premature birth, infant mortality, and birth defects in Europe are substantially lower than those in the United States.
My viewpoint has been further cultivated by my status as an “oops baby”. I was born to a mother who regularly consumed wine, whiskey, and malt liquor while pregnant, primarily due to the fact that she was totally unaware of my presence in her womb until the end of her second trimester. Still, I have an extremely high IQ and was the first of her children to attend college and ultimately receive a PhD.
As a scientist this is especially fascinating to me now given the fact that longitudinal studies conducted in the United Kingdom continue to show that children born to light drinkers possess higher cognitive scores and, interestingly, lower rates of hyperactivity compared with those born to abstainers.
Certainly I didn’t share that tidbit of information to encourage alcohol consumption among pregnant women. I’m simply driving home the point that a mere glass of wine a few days a week is unlikely to pose a major health threat to your unborn baby. In fact, after years and years of research, I haven’t been able to spot a single convincing study pertaining to the risks of such low alcohol consumption.
Nevertheless, the general take of the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is simple and firm: “There is no known safe amount of alcohol to drink while pregnant. There is also no safe time during pregnancy to drink and no safe kind of alcohol”. The World Health Organization and numerous international governing bodies share similar sentiments.
The conservative stance is in many ways warranted and completely justified as alcohol does, in fact, cross a woman’s placenta freely making it easier to enter the embryo or fetus through the umbilical cord. Further, excessive prenatal alcohol consumption has been linked to various physical and mental birth defects.
However, we’re talking about a whole lot of alcohol here–Somewhere in the ballpark of 4 or more drinks in a single sitting. This is way more than the occasional 4 to 5-ounce serving of wine reported by a large majority of women who drink alcohol while pregnant.
In the absence of compelling data pertaining to the inherent risks or potential side effects of light alcohol intake during pregnancy, the choice of whether or not to partake in a glass of wine from time to time is, in my opinion, a personal decision.
This very same notion of choice can and should be applied to moderate coffee drinking in pregnancy.
Indeed, similar to alcohol there are countless myths and misconceptions surrounding the risks of prenatal coffee consumption, many of which are driven by misrepresentations of a handful of studies highlighting correlations between high caffeine intake and miscarriage amongst expecting mothers.
Sure, coffee is rich in caffeine but it also houses large amounts of antioxidants and other beneficial nutrients known to promote overall good health. Interestingly, women who drink coffee to the tune of 12-16 ounces a day have been shown to exhibit substantially lower levels of depression and depressive symptoms, which are actually quite common in pregnancy.
Nevertheless, if you’re truly concerned about the potential risks of taking in too much caffeine during pregnancy, consider limiting your daily intake to 12 ounces or less. This is what’s actually recommended by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and, once more, it’s your decision!
Personally, I’m of the school of thought where taking care of yourself and prioritizing your needs and happiness is of the utmost importance when it comes to the health of your unborn baby. For some women, this may be as simple as enjoying a cup (or two) of coffee in the morning or a glass of wine at night. For others, an occasional meal of sushi or raw fish might fit the bill.
But once again, despite the fact that sushi and raw fish are regularly included as part of a healthy pregnancy diet among the Japanese population, such cuisine remains “mythicized” here in America and, therefore, at the top of the “Foods to Avoid When You’re Pregnant” list.
Now, as I’ve already mentioned, there’s always an element of truth behind every myth. In the case of sushi and raw fish, mercury levels are the real issue. Excessive mercury exposure is generally toxic to anyone but especially dangerous among pregnant women. However, unbeknownst to many, whether raw or cooked, all seafood is contaminated with some level of mercury.
It’s not at all necessary for women to avoid sushi or raw fish during pregnancy. It is however necessary for pregnant women (and people in general) to avoid seafood sources housing toxic levels of mercury among which include shark, marlin, tilefish, swordfish, and king mackerel. That’s it!
Like all forms of seafood, moderate amounts of sushi and raw fish can be quite beneficial for pregnant women, as they are excellent sources of high-quality protein, vitamin B12, and potent antioxidants like selenium. Some varieties like salmon also house large quantities of vitamin D and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), an omega-3 fatty acid that greatly supports healthy brain and eye development in infants.
Once again, moderation is key here. As holds true for virtually any and all foods, adverse health complications and effects can arise when too much is consumed too often.
So hopefully I’ve provided some valuable insights about the importance of considering this idea of “moderation” and personal choice, particularly when it comes to addressing the many misconceptions and misperceptions behind pregnancy-related food restrictions and presumed risks. In the end, every woman is different and every pregnancy is even more distinct.
Better to arm yourself with the real facts and use them to preferentially guide your desired eating behaviors as opposed to hanging on the beliefs, thoughts, and perspectives of others.

Categories
Sweat

In Defense of the 'MomBod'

Yesterday I woke up at 5:45. I stumbled to my makeshift fitness center in my living room.  I kept yawning while I lifted weights above my head and fell into deep squats while listening to Kanye West’s ‘Fitness Plan.’ I proceeded to run three miles with my dog, cutting off three minutes since I’d slept later than planned.
I came home and quickly showered, fixed my hair and makeup, and then proceeded to make a lunch consisting of spinach and fruit. No time to sit down for a cup of coffee – my four month old had to be ready for daycare.
Later at lunch, I scan the web and was once again assaulted with “motivational” pictures of women who had recently had babies, yet were back to their size four clothes. As I munch my rabbit food, I marvel at their progress. It’s been four months since I had my baby…two months past the socially acceptable timeline for sporting that post-partum bump.
But then I saw hope. Hope in an article written by a fresh college student who was defending…the DadBod? Wait, this guy’s a freshman at college who’s fiercely dedicated to beer bong and sporting his gut. Shouldn’t this be called BeerBod? However, I ignored the glaring fact that he was only 20 and most likely had never held an infant.
I began to read the litany of articles discussing the DadBod. DadBod’s work hard in the office, and they sacrifice the gym in order to have more time with their family. It represents that their priorities go beyond a surface level. Women love DadBod’s, it’s just a fact. Celebrities sport DadBod’s, so of course it’s sexy. DadBod’s say I have a job, I have money, I have confidence, and most importantly, I know that guacamole is extra at Chipotle, but I’m getting it anyway.
Then my interest in DadBods went south…quickly. DadBod’s are something of an art, something that requires finesse and confidence, and the perfect proportion of pizza to cardio. The beauty of a DadBod is that you don’t have to have children to gain this physique. Just eat an extra side dish, this represents the food children leave behind that fathers feel obligated to finish. Tempted to workout? Skip it and have a few brews instead. Women will be more apt to approach you when you’re rocking a DadBod because it’s assumed that you’re not plagued by narcissism.
What exactly is a DadBod you may ask? It’s when a man has an undefined mid section and a vague outline of muscles. He seems like someone who hits the gym, just at irregular intervals.
Narratives from college aged men to middle aged men described how they’ve always rocked a DadBod knowing that secretly all women love it; that they would actually prefer to have a DadBod in their life than someone with a strong physique.
This was starting to become a little extreme. I prided myself on engaging in a healthy lifestyle while maintaining a happy home and work life. I multi-task to the extreme and don’t sacrifice home life, but then again not everyone is a morning person.
As I was still mulling over this DadBod phenomenon I typed in MomBod and was immediately assaulted with a very different message.
“Post-Baby Bootcamp,” “change the way you recover from childbirth,” “10 foods that will drop that baby weight fast.” I typed in celebrity moms, and my screen was flooded with images of Heidi Klum and Jennifer Lopez. My heart began to sink: MomBods were not a thing. Well they were, but they were definitely not synonymous with DadBod’s.
The double standard that DadBod’s present is horrifying. Females are ridiculed if they still carry around their post-baby fluff. Advertisements encourage women to try out a modern day corset or to wear a slimming swimsuit until they’re beach body is back. Society will never say that it prefers their women to have a belly. When excuses are made for why women don’t look like they belong on the cover of Sports Illustrated there’s that silent tsk-tsk sound resounding in the background.
Slowly the media caught onto this double standard when females across the country began posting selfies of their mom bods. There’s no tongue and cheek “steps” to obtaining a MomBod. It’s plain and simple: go through childbirth; raise a family; find time to eat a healthy meal when your kids are pulling you in a thousand directions.
Men are creating an idealized image of why they’re out of shape and how it’s difficult to obtain this body. It’s not difficult to gain a few pounds snacking on chips and ice cream late at night, while putting halfhearted time in at the gym.
Although DadBod’s are a disturbing representation of America’s society it has also opened the door for a narrative of stereotypes and being proud of who you are. It’s great that men are pleased with their various shapes, and it’s encouraging that women reciprocate this sentiment. Even though women are still subjected to body shaming there has been a distinct turn on social media addressing this huge flaw.
Television hosts are releasing satires, men are filling their blogs with steps to becoming bigger, and women are vocalizing their distaste. But lets face it, moms will continue to multi-task and accomplish everything in a time-crunched window, while men will invariably go to work and come home and sit on the couch (stereotypes are okay, right?).
Body shaming on mothers and females will continue. But the tide is shifting, and people are becoming aware of the privilege men hold in the sphere of physicality.  It’s time to celebrate every body type and not be ashamed that your body isn’t photoshop perfect. So whether you work out or don’t, be proud of your MomBod and keep rocking it.

Categories
Lifestyle

As a Guy I Never Really Cared About Body Wash Until Now

For most of my life, I wasn’t very particular about what kind of soap or shampoo I used. I would just buy whatever was relatively cheap and easy to find. That meant I usually bought something that was neon blue with some made-up manly scent like “Buffalo Stampede” or “Touchdown.”

That changed when I heard about a company called Every Man Jack. Several men’s magazines and sites recommended the company’s products, so I decided to order a few.

Ritch Viola started Every Man Jack in California, and EMJ products started to appear on shelves around 2007. EMJ offers a modest selection of body washes, shampoos, deodorants, shaving creams, face washes, and lotions marketed toward men. However, the company’s ethical practices and dedication to quality are what piqued my interest.

EMJ products do not contain dyes, parabens (basically preservatives), sodium lauryl sulfate (found in most commercial soaps and shampoos), phthalates, or tallow, and they’re never tested on animals.

I ordered EMJ’s new eucalyptus mint body wash, signature mint shampoo, and unscented shaving cream. They’re products I felt good about buying, which is more than I can say about picking up a bottle of “Buffalo Stampede.”

I ordered from the company’s website, but you can usually find EMJ products at Target, Walgreens, Whole Foods, and Hy-Vee. No product costs more than $8, so they’re fairly affordable.

That’s all well and good, but how did they work?

Amazing!

The first thing I noticed about the shampoo and body wash was the color, or lack thereof. After being conditioned to expect bright blue and green soap and shampoo, it was refreshing to see something that wasn’t dyed. The consistencies of both feel a little thinner than most mass-produced products, but I can’t argue with the results.

The signature mint shampoo is very invigorating and didn’t dry out my hair. I’ve had problems with that in the past because I have very thin, straight hair. Some shampoos are just too harsh, but EMJ left my hair feeling silky smooth.

The eucalyptus mint body wash worked equally well. It didn’t dry out my skin, and it smells amazing. It’s fresh (but masculine) and long lasting (but not overpowering). If eucalyptus mint isn’t your jam, sandalwood, cedarwood, and citrus scents are also available.

My girlfriend liked both products too: “Your hair’s soft, and you smell good.”

The last product I tested was the unscented shaving cream. Until recently, I always bought whatever shaving gel was cheapest. EMJ taught me the error of my ways.

If you have sensitive skin or if your facial hair comes in thick, like mine, shave gels aren’t doing you any favors. The alcohol and other chemicals in the gel can dry out your skin, making for an uncomfortable shave.

The shaving cream, which has a consistency akin to lotion, made my shave much easier. It was so smooth I didn’t have to use any post-shave balm or lotion, the way I always had to with shave gel.

Overall, I wholeheartedly recommend EMJ to any guy looking for personal hygiene products that work and are made responsibly. Try EMJ once and you’ll never go back.

Categories
Lifestyle

Floating Tanks Are An Out Of This World Experience

When I was a kid I wanted to be an astronaut. How cool that would have been! I had this fantasy that floating around in zero gravity would be the supreme experience. Well, I never made it to being an astronaut, but I did get to experience zero gravity—or at least the next best thing to it: a floating tank.

It all started when I read the ad offered by a new spa opening in my town. “Being in a float tank is like relaxing in outer space” I was intrigued—could this be my childhood dream come true?

I was as excited as I was scared about trying it. One reason is that they weren’t always called flotation tanks. In the beginning they had the ominous term: “sensory deprivation tanks” and there were all kinds of fears and superstitions about what would happen if you jumped into a tank that stripped away your senses.

Part of the mystery came from the fact that the inventor was neuroscientist and psychoanalyst John Lily. In 1954 he began experimenting with these tanks as a way of locating and liberating the mind’s energy. He also conducted experiments using the tanks and LSD—a notoriously popular psychedelic drug back in the 1960s.

But the research and commercial uses for the tanks have been updated by researchers Peter Suedfeld and Roderick Borrie, and today their technique is called: “Restricted Environmental Stimulation Therapy” (REST). Their methods show the experience has value in meditation, relaxation, and alternative medicine.

So how does it work?

Imagine a tank about the length and width of a compact car and about the depth up to where the windows begin. It is filled with water less than half that—perhaps no more than the top rim of the tires. Then it is filled with warm salt water that is extremely buoyant. So buoyant that you could completely fall asleep face up and not sink—so there is NO chance of drowning. You shower beforehand and ease yourself into a front-loading door that lets you go in lengthwise, feet first. You close the door behind you and can use a small battery-operated light to get yourself situated. Once you’re all cozy you shut the light off—and well, then you float.

The salt water is the key. In the tank I use more than 1,000 pounds of salt solution are dissolved in the water. It is odd the first time you let go of the gravity thing. There is nothing supporting you and it is dark. The first thing I noticed about this state is that I became hyper-aware of my body. This was a nuanced feeling. As gravity loses its effect the little annoyances that come with being a sack of skin holding 206 bones also slips away.

Weightless, my body was pain-free, or at least allowed to be unencumbered by the burden of being weighed down. There is nothing that grounds you except the occasional slight bump into the side of the tank. Your body is suspended and the little pressures that we become immune to until we feel an ache all disappear.

However, the biggest surprise was what happened to my brain. It slipped into what could be called a flow state. Almost immediately–I lost track of time and my body. Whatever the worries of the day were melted away, and I was so in the present moment that the only sound was my rhythmic, almost hypnotic breathing. The combination of weightlessness, my brain going on autopilot, and my body on vacation conjured up a deep-deep smile.

Houston, we have lift-off.

The list of ailments that it’s supposed to help is nearly endless. Muscular aches, soreness, arthritis, fibromyalgia, and inflammation are the big ones that it purports to help. (I can vouch for all but the fibromyalgia—but only because I don’t have it.) There are studies on its use to enhance athletic performance, improve mood and even some serious scientific studies on helping individuals with attention deficit disorder and autism.

The costs and times you can buy range from $50 to $150 depending on if you do 30- or 90-minute sessions. For the experienced user you could buy packages and longer times, but if this is your first venture I’d recommend an hour so you can get the benefit of the experience. Thirty minutes is a nice sampler, but just get your feet wet (pun intended)—but an hour will give you a taste of the full experience. You’ll know the experience is over because the filtration pump kicks back on and the water begins to swirl around you. Time for reentry and another shower.

In doing some research for this article I came across an interesting fact that piqued my interest—so I’m passing it on. In 1980 both the Philadelphia Eagles and the Phillies began using floating tanks on a regular basis for their teams. After years of lackluster performance the Eagles won the NFC championship that year. The same year the Phillies won the World Series.

Chance? Who knows? But I find that kind of coincidence simply out of this world.

Categories
Nosh

How Your Coffee Habit Could Save Your Life

Let me get this out of the way up front: I hate the taste of coffee in any form. Even the smell bugs me–I’ve often had to cross the street to avoid the aroma wafting out of a coffee shop. It’s always struck me as nothing more than a delivery device for caffeine, and I’ve often thought of people who drink coffee as somewhat weak (“What do you mean you ‘need’ your morning coffee? Shut up and get to work.”)
But after spending a lot of time looking at the research on coffee (admittedly hoping to find studies that would allow me to sneer even more at all you coffee drinkers), it turns out that there’s a lot of evidence that people who drink moderate amounts of coffee (two to three cups per day) enjoy some interesting health benefits that non-coffee drinkers may not. Still hopeful, I dug a little deeper, hoping to prove that it’s the caffeine that produces the positive results. But I’ve sheepishly come to the conclusion that in many cases, there’s something in coffee itself–not tea, not Red Bull, not chocolate–that’s responsible.
I’m not sure any of this is enough to get me to actually drink any, but I’d definitely take a coffee pill if I could find one. Here’s some of what science tells us about coffee. You be the judge.

Brain

A number of studies have found that drinking the equivalent of a cup or two of coffee per day is associated with improved memory, and that for older adults, drinking three to five cups per day significantly reduces the risk of developing Alzheimer’s or other dementia. Some of these studies attribute the benefits to caffeine (giving test subjects caffeine pills rather than have them drink actual coffee). Other studies have ruled out caffeine by showing the same benefits from decaf. Researchers speculate that the antioxidants in coffee (which is one of the most antioxidant-rich foods out there) protect brain cells from getting damaged.
Moderate coffee consumption has also been linked with a reduction in the risk of developing other brain-related conditions such as Parkinson’s and with reducing symptoms in those who already have it.

Cancers

There hasn’t been a huge amount of research on coffee’s effect on various forms of cancer, but what there is, is pretty optimistic. Older adults who drink four or more cups of coffee per day may reduce by half their risk of dying from mouth or throat cancer. Decaf helped, but not as much, and tea had no positive effects at all.
Drinking two cups per day reduced the likelihood of dying from liver cancer by as much as 60% compared to those who drank less than one cup per day. Since decaf produced similar results, this may be another case of antioxidants at work, inhibiting the growth of cancer cells by reducing inflammation.
Drinking two cups of coffee per day also lowered the risk of developing colorectal cancer by 22% when compared with people who drank less than one cup. Drinking two to five cups reduced the risk by 44%, and guzzling more than two and a half cups reduced the risk by 59%.

Diabetes

Diabetes is one of the biggest killers and it’s getting worse every day. Several studies have found that regular coffee drinking (two to four cups per day) lowers the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes–and the more you drink, the lower the risk (within reason–I’ll get to the risks of going overboard below).

Erectile Dysfunction

Compared to men who drank no coffee, participants in a study at the University of Texas who drank at least two cups per day were 42% less likely to suffer from erectile dysfunction (ED). There’s something in coffee that helps relax arteries in the penis, which increases blood flow. Interestingly, coffee-drinking men who had diabetes–which is already one of the biggest causes of ED–didn’t have any benefit.

Heart

The same blood-vessel-relaxation properties that reduce erectile dysfunction may also reduce stroke risk by decreasing the risk of developing blood clots. Coffee may also reduce the amount of damage done after a stroke. There’s also some indication that, depending on how it’s prepared, coffee could reduce cholesterol levels, another risk factor for stroke and heart attack. One large Japanese study found that two cups of coffee per day reduced the risk of dying from any kind of cardiovascular disease (which includes both stroke and heart attack) by 38%.

Suicide

A study done at the Harvard School of Public Health found that drinking three cups of coffee per day reduced suicide risk by 45%. But it’s not clear whether that was the coffee itself or the fact that a lot of people get their coffee at coffee shops, which tend to be full of people; social interaction helps reduce suicide risk as well.

Weight Management

Although I don’t have a weight problem, I found one study especially interesting. Overweight research participants who were given green coffee bean extract lost significantly more weight over a 22-week study than those who didn’t get the extract. That’s good news for those of us who need a way to get the benefit of coffee without actually having to drink it.

Too Much of a Good Thing? Yep

Given its many health benefits, it’s tempting to start throwing back as much coffee as possible. But more isn’t necessarily better. A five-cup/day habit actually increases the risk of heart disease. Large amounts of coffee can actually close off blood vessels, which could lead to a stroke. In addition, coffee can cause insomnia, upset stomach, interfere with some medications, increase anxiety, and if you’re drinking caffeinated coffee, it’s highly addictive and withdrawal can be painful.
Coffee drinks also often contain a lot of calories. A 20-ounce Mocha Frappuccino at Starbucks is about 500 calories, and a 24-ounce Venti Mocha Cookie Crumble Frappuccino has 590. That’s 20-25% of the calories you should be getting over the course of the whole day. Plus, because those drinks often taste so good (to some people), you may be tempted to eat more, which could make you gain weight, which increase your risk of diabetes and everything else that goes with it.
Before you start buying up farmland in Colombia or investing in coffee futures (yes, there is such a thing), check with your doc to make sure it’s okay for you. Because it contains caffeine, coffee could be dangerous if you have very high blood pressure, heart disease, or a history of seizures. If you do, ask your doctor whether decaf or coffee extract are safe. Coffee also contains a chemical compound called cafestol that stimulates production of LDL (that’s the bad cholesterol). Apparently, paper filters eliminate cafestol, but espresso and other unfiltered coffees don’t.
Bottom line? While there are plenty of benefits to drinking coffee, as with most things in the world (with the possible exception of money), moderation is key. And don’t use coffee as an excuse for living an otherwise-unhealthy life. You’ll see far more benefit from eating right, exercising, and giving up smoking–even if, like me, you’ll never let a drop of coffee cross your lips.

Categories
Wellbeing

The Truth about Leaky Gut Syndrome: What It Is And Why You Want To Avoid It

After listening to me complain for years about my constantly stuffy nose, food cravings, allergies, and frequent, er, “stomach problems,” a doctor friend of mine threw out something I’d never heard of: “I think you might have leaky gut syndrome,” she said.
My first reaction was, “What a bunch of nonsense. How can guts leak?” That was immediately followed by, “Am I going to have to start using those adult diapers? I mean, if I’m truly leaking, where else could it go?” Turns out, guts actually can leak. That’s the bad news. The good news is that there’s no need to buy Depends—the leakage stays safely inside the body.
Actually, that’s only partly good news. The leakage in leaky gut syndrome (more technically called “increased intestinal permeability”) may be responsible for a huge variety of health issues, ranging from minor things like bloating, cramps, fatigue, food allergies and sensitivities, gas, and headaches to bigger things like autism, autoimmune conditions, depression and other mood disorders, diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease, and multiple sclerosis.
Let’s take a minute to talk about what, exactly, a leaky gut is. Close your eyes and imagine that your digestive tract is like a very crowded zoo where all the animals—in this case about 100 trillion microbes divided into anywhere from 300 to 1000 different species—are free to roam. As in any zoo, some of these microbes are good, others not so much. (Can’t you just hear Madonna singing, “We are living in a microbial world and I am a microbial girl”?)
The lining of your intestines is essentially a fence with microscopic holes in it that allows vitamins, minerals, and nutrients from your food out into the bloodstream while at the same time trying to keep the bad bacteria, pieces of undigested food, and other toxic gunk (yes, that’s exactly what you think it is) from getting out.
When the microbial balance in your gut is right, your whole body functions the way it’s supposed to. But when that balance gets out of whack—say because of chronic stress, chronic constipation, exposure to environmental toxins like pesticides, eating a poor diet, or taking an antibiotic that wipes out a lot those microbes—the “bad” bacteria cut holes in the fence and some of them, along with food particles and toxins, leak into the bloodstream.
When your immune system sees organisms where they don’t belong, it attacks, causing irritation and inflammation. In my case, the result was allergies, gas, and more. For other people, it’s a lot worse.
Because leaky gut has so many possible causes–and so many possibly symptoms–the medical community isn’t quite sure how to deal with it. Many people aren’t even sure that it’s right to call it a syndrome. But those who do—typically doctors who specialize in what’s called “functional medicine”—know exactly what to do: get those gut microbes back into balance. And they typically suggest a multi-step program, such as:

  • Remove foods and factors that create problems. In my case, my doctor friend took me off of gluten, sugar, and dairy.
  • Replace those foods with ones that are less likely to irritate your gut. Fermented foods such as sauerkraut, kimchi, yogurt, kefir, and even pickles, are considered healing foods.
  • Repair the damage with supplements. Recommendations include L-glutamine (an amino acid that can heal the intestinal lining), vitamin D, zinc, and omega-3 fatty acids (such as fish oil).
  • Repopulate your good gut bacteria. One way to do this is to take probiotics (millions of live, beneficial bacteria). Get recommendations from your doctor. The internet—and health food stores—are full of probiotics that promise you the world, but since they aren’t regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), there’s no way to verify those claims, accurately identify the exact strains of bacteria that are included, or even ensure their potency. Another way to rebalance your gut is to get a transplant from another person whose gut is already well balanced. This increasingly popular—and very successful—technique is called bacteriotherapy, which is a euphemism for fecal microbial transplant (FMT) or stool transplant. Yes, that’s exactly what it sounds like.

So far, I’ve gotten only as far as removing certain offending foods and eating more pickles and sauerkraut. The results have been nothing short of amazing. After just a few gluten-, sugar-, and dairy-free days, I was able to stop blowing my nose and clearing my phlegmy throat all the time, and my food cravings completely disappeared. I have breakfast at 6 a.m. and I’m not hungry at all until mid-afternoon.
One of the biggest leaky gut red flags is having issues with a variety of foods. But beyond that, if you have any annoying symptoms that haven’t responded to conventional treatment, talk with your healthcare provider about whether you might have leaky gut syndrome. Do not, however, try to treat it yourself.