Recommended Supplements for Specific Health Issues

Special Note: See Andrea for details on advanced-quality supplements, what to look for and how it will improve your training and fitness level.

Cardiovascular health

• Take a high quality Omega 3 Supplement in Fish, Hemp or Flax form
• Regular intake of dark green unrefined extra virgin olive oil
• Supplements: Vitamin E. Coenzyme Q10.

Depression

• Take a high quality Omega 3 Supplement in Fish, Hemp or Flax form
• Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) is an essential cofactor for EFA metabolism as well as for the majority of pathways of amino acids, including decarboxylation pathways for dopamine, adrenaline and serotonin.
• SupplementS: Vitamin B12, Folate and SAMe (S-adenosyl-methionine).

Learning and behavioral disorders

• Take a high quality Omega 3 Supplement in Fish, Hemp or Flax form and Evening Primrose oil.
• Supplements: Vitamin E, Zinc, Magnesium. Choline and Vitamin B1 & B6.

Obesity

• Moderate insulin by consuming foods with a low glycemic response (Low GI).
• Increase consumption of fish with high omega-3 content (or supplement).
• Regular intake of Green tea or mate’ tea.
• Supplement Minerals: Calcium, Chromium, Iodine, Magnesium and Manganese.
• Herbs: Gymnema sylvestre (reduces appetite and craving for carbohydrates.)

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Source: www.foodmatters.tv

Healthy Moms Event

HealthyGirl and FirePower Training Present…

Healthy Moms, Healthy Babies

Promo Video

Are you a busy or a new mom? Are you expecting a little one? Do you have a young family?

Join us for an hour of pampering, tea, nutrition tips, samples and other goodies on November 26 in Milton at 10am. This exclusive workshop, especially for moms, will address achieving optimal nutrition for moms and babies. Learn about low-glycemic eating, nutrition and proper supplementation for moms and babies.

Learn how to get back into your body and how nutrition plays a role in mind and body health. Discover a system to address energy, fitness, immune system, metabolism, insulin resistance, and hormones. All information included in this seminar is recommended by NY Times best-selling author, Dr. Christiane Northrup in her recent edition of “Women’s Bodies, Women’s Wisdom”… Free gift for all attendees. Free to attend but seats are limited. This event will sell out.

Register at www.healthymoms.eventbrite.com

Eating A Little Out of Control?

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Ate a little too much this weekend?  Get your eating back on track with a super easy RESET Cleanse Kit.

RESET™ is a jump-start program to help you take positive steps toward reaching your health and weight-loss goals.

It’s no secret that the key to effective weight loss is making positive changes in diet and exercise. However, making those healthy lifestyle changes can often seem like an insurmountable task. Our Healthy Weight Management products are designed to jumpstart healthy eating habits and help individuals begin to make a clean break from unhealthy food.

Simply replace your meals and snacks for five days and begin a new, healthier lifestyle. In five days, you can: Lose the Cravings—Help reduce carbohydrate cravings with delicious low-glycemic foods Lose the Pounds—Jump-start your new lifestyle by losing those first five pounds. Find the New You—Discover the lean, healthy, and energetic person inside you.

Download PDF Info

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Cost $137.95 + tax. Can be delivered in 3 to 5 days to your front door!

To order, call/text Andrea @ 519-240-4920 or email here

Healthy For Life Nutrition Seminar

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Reset your body and Reset your life to feel better than ever.

Join Andrea Savard, Wellness Coach and her team to learn about low-glycemic eating and proper supplementation for stabilizing blood sugar and cutting cravings for sustainable weight loss.

Discover a system to address energy, fitness, immune system, metabolism, insulin resistance, hypoglycemia and hormones.

All information included in this seminar is recommended by Dr. Christiane Northrup in her recent edition of “Women’s Bodies, Women’s Wisdom”.

Location: FirePower Training, 509 Main St E., Milton, ON  L9T 3J2

Questions/RSVP: andrea@firepowertraining.com

CrossFit – How Should I Eat?

The CrossFit dietary prescription is as follows:

Follow the “Zone” diet, which concentrates on regulating your insulin.  The basic ratio of carbohydrates to protiens to fats is 40-30-30.  Carbohydrates should be predominantly low-glycemic and account for about 40 % of your total caloric load. Yes, fruits and veggies are carbs, try to stay away from your highly processed refined flours and grains such as pasta, breads, chips, and any sugars.

http://www.zonediet.com/

Also learn how to get started on the zone diet by checking out CrossFit Journal # 21

Try to eat real food. Foods that aren’t processed. This is the basis of a Paleo diet. Click here for a good introduction to the paleo diet . We basically aren’t much different then our caveman ancestors, but our food has changed drastically. Stick with foods that are grow from the earth, or animals that eat the things that grow from the earth. Think of foods that go bad quickly, these are real whole foods. A granola bar isn’t whole food, it’s processed. Raspberries good – swedish berries bad. With a paleo diet, you are more concerned about the quality of your food.

The essentials of the Paleolithic Diet are:

Eat none of the following:

· Grains- including bread, pasta, noodles

· Beans- including string beans, kidney beans, lentils, peanuts, snow-peas and peas

· Potatoes

· Dairy products

· Sugar

· Salt

With Paleo you Eat the following:

· Meat, chicken and fish

· Eggs

· Fruit

· Vegetables (especially root vegetables, but definitely not including potatoes or sweet potatoes)

· Nuts, eg. walnuts, brazil nuts, macadamia, almond. Do not eat peanuts (a bean) or cashews (a family of their own)

· Berries- strawberries, blueberries, raspberries etc.

Try to increase your intake of:

· Root vegetables- carrots, turnips, parsnips, rutabagas, Swedes

· Organ meats- liver and kidneys (I accept that many people find these unpalatable and won’t eat them)

By following these simple rules you will see quicker gains with your fitness and your recovery, and you will also feel much better! Don’t get me wrong I still polish off a tub of ice cream now and then, but all that sugar makes me feel bad, and I don’t do it again for a while. When you are shopping at the grocery store, just try to stay to the outside of the store and you will find most everything you need to eat well.

Eating healthier doesn’t take any longer, it just takes smarter decisions. You body will thank you.

CrossFit Nutritional Lecture Video Library

Nutrition Part I, Robb Wolf …[wmv][mov]
Nutrition Part II, Rob Wolf …[wmv][mov]

Nutrition: Teeter-Totter Pt I, Nicole Carroll .[wmv][mov]

Nutrition: Teeter-Totter Pt II, Nicole Carroll ..[wmv][mov]

Perfume Analogy, CrossFit Nurition Seminar …[wmv][mov]

Zone Multipliers, CrossFit Nutrition Seminar, Robb Wolf…[wmv][mov]

Zone Chronicles, Pat Sherwood …[wmv][mov]
Zone Chronicles: LAX, Pat Sherwood …[wmv][mov]
Zone Chronicles: Normalcy at Home, Pat Sherwood …[wmv][mov]
Zone Chronicles: New Jersey …[wmv][mov]

Insulin Resistance, CrossFit Nutrition Seminar …[wmv][mov]

Refined Carbohydrates, Robb Wolf, CrossFit Nutrition Seminar …[wmv][mov]

Pat Sherwood on the Idiot Suit …[wmv][mov]

I will try to update this with some of the great articles on nutrition from the CrossFit main site or wherever else I can find them. I would suggest that you don’t look at eating this way as a “diet” is is more about making “healthy lifestyle choices”.

Keeping a food journal

Hey everyone,  I know we harp on keeping a journal about your training.  This is done so you can chart your progress, and see measurable results.  But how many of you record what you eat?  This is also important for self evaluation.  If lately you have been working hard, but spinning your wheels in weight loss, strength gains, etc.  Maybe you need to track what you put in your body, how it makes you feel after, and how you felt in the gym.  I think this is just as important as your training  journal.  I have spoken with a few of you recently about plateauing, and how to break out of it.  By tracking your nutrition, training, sleep patterns, etc.. you can map your way back on track!  I know this sounds time consuming, but maybe this investment of time in your health is worth a little sacrifice.  When lack of time is used as an arguement, I ask you this question; Who was voted off survivor last night?  If you know the answer, you have enough time to write your food consumption down!

See you all in the gym!

-Brian

Fat or Fiction: Changing the ratio of Omega 3 & 6

Fat is probably the most misunderstood component of the human diet. The acquisition of scientific terminology as marketing jargon has certainly increased this misunderstanding. Most consumers are now aware of terms such as omega-3 and omega-6, and essential fatty acids, and know that there are such things as good fats and bad fats. Unfortunately this does not mean that people are making wiser food choices.

A product endorsed by the heart foundation, for example, such are margarine, may be touted as being a source of omega-3, yet this product also contains trans fatty acids, which science has shown contribute to cardiovascular disease. This is a perfect example of a so-called ‘good fat’ turning renegade when subjected to industrialization and refinement.

A consensus is emerging among researchers that our bodies are designed to function using a whole food pre-agricultural diet high in long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids. Long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids are found in cold-water deep-sea fish such as salmon and tuna. Omega-3 fatty acids are also found in flax seeds, walnuts and dark green vegetables. The science that supports the use of omega-3 fats as health promoting agents also makes the important distinction: that the quality of these fats effects their function, as does the ratio to other fats in the diet such as omega-6 and the arachidonic acid derived from saturated fat.

Quality: the changing ratio of Omega-6 and Omega-3

Omega-6 and Omega-9 are polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA). PUFA’s are sometimes called essential fatty acids because they cannot be synthesized by the body and must be provided through the diet. Generally, our diets contain far too little omega-3 and an excess of omega-6 fat. Experts looking at the dietary ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids suggest that in early human history the ratio was about 1-4:1. Currently most Australians eat a dietary ratio that is around 20-50:1. The optimum ratio is most likely closer to the original ratio of 1-4:1. For most of us, this means not only increasing our omega-3 intake, but also greatly reducing the omega-6 fatty acids we consume.

We should also bear in mind that the ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 in these foods has changed with the use of factory farming techniques and growth enhancement practices in agribusiness. Researchers at the Weston Price Foundation have observed that organic eggs from hens allowed to feed on insects and green plants can contain omega-6 and omega-3 in the beneficial ratio of 1:1, but commercial supermarket eggs can contain as much as nineteen times more omega-6 than omega-3.

Why You’ll Never See Obese Fish: Marine oil for weight control

When we significantly reduce the omega-6 fatty acids in the diet and increase the Omega-3’s from marine oils, the metabolic rate is increased. Marine oils also reduce the insulin response to oral glucose. This means that the body utilises the energy from carbohydrates more efficiently, without storing it as fat.

Essential Fatty Acids (EFA’s): A safer aspirin

The increased omega-6/omega-3 ratio in our diet most likely contributes to an increased incidence of cardiovascular disease and inflammatory disorders. If we correct this ratio and increase our intake of high quality omega-3 inflammation is reduced, as is the incidence of cardiovascular disease. Omega 3 fatty acids modulate prostaglandin metabolism. Put simply: the omega-3 fatty acids available in deep sea coldwater fish such as salmon, mackerel, sardines and tuna have an anti-inflammatory action similar to aspirin. When aspirin and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDS) are used frequently to treat conditions such as arthritis, they can have serious long-term side effects. The omega-3’s in marine oil, on the other hand have an excellent safety profile. Scientists have also recently discovered a key anti-inflammatory fat in the human body, which they have named Resolvins. Resolvins are made from omega-3 fatty acids.

Fat: Brain food

Apart from water, the human brain is composed of 60% fat (lipid). Lipid is a general term for fatty biochemicals such as phospholipids, triglycerides, ceramides and free fatty acids. Unlike other body membranes, neurons (brain cells) contain a very high percentage of polyunsaturated fatty acids. These are required for important functions such as signal transfer and data processing. The brain needs dietary fats (saturated and unsaturated) to function correctly. There is now very good evidence to link conditions such as ADHD, dyslexia, senile dementia, clinical depression, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia with a deficiency of long chain PUFA in modern diets. The best sources are from cold-water deep-sea fish.

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• Source: www.foodmatters.tv
• By Professor Ian Brighthope

What In The World Are You Putting On Your Skin??

Is your bathroom cabinet bulging with toxins?

Is your make-up or toiletries bag a cocktail of chemicals that could do you harm?

Yes is probably the answer to both questions. Check out the ingredients list on your bottles and jars: the higher up the list these 15 come, the greater the concentration.

Formaldehyde – Combined with water, this toxic gas is used as a disinfectant, fixative, germicide and preservative in deodorants, liquid soaps, nail varnish and shampoos. Also known as formalin, formal and methyl aldehyde, it is a suspected human carcinogen and has caused lung cancer in rats. It can damage DNA, irritate the eyes, upper respiratory tract and mucous membrane, and may cause asthma and headaches. It is banned in Japan and Sweden.

Phthalates hit the headlines last year for being “gender benders”. They are a family of industrial plasticisers already banned in the EU from being used in plastic toys, but are still in hairsprays, top-selling perfumes and nail varnishes. They can be absorbed through the skin, inhaled as fumes and ingested from contaminated food or breastfeeding. Animal studies have shown they can damage the liver, kidneys, lungs and reproductive system -especially developing testes.

Parabens are listed as alkyl parahydroxy benzoates -butyll methyl/ethyl/ propyllisobutyl paraben on some toothpastes, moisturisers and deodorants. They are used as a preservative, but are oestrogen mimics. Research suggests that parabens in antiperspirant deodorants can cause breast cancer. Oestrogen-type chemicals have also been linked to testicular cancer and a reduction in sperm count.

Sodium Lauryl Sulphate (SLS) is one of the major ingredients in nearly every shampoo, bubble bath, liquid soap etc. Why, when it is a known skin irritant, stops hair growth, can cause cataracts in adults, damage children’s eye development and cause urinary tract infection?

Toluene is a common solvent found in nail enamels, hair gels, hair spray, and perfumes. It is a neurotoxin and can damage the liver, disrupt the endocrine system and cause asthma.

Propylene Glycol is a cosmetic form of mineral oil (refined crude oil) used in industrial antifreeze. People handling it are warned by the manufacturer to avoid skin contact and wear respirators and rubber gloves etc, and yet this is a major ingredient in most moisturisers, skin creams, baby wipes and sun screens. Why? It’s cheap and gives the “glide” factor in body lotions – but is in fact robbing lower layers of skin of moisture. Lanolin and collagen also clog pores and cause skin to age faster than if nothing was used.

Talc is recognised as carcinogenic and has been linked to an increased risk of ovarian cancer and general urinary tract disorders. So don’t dust it on your baby’s, or anyone else’s, bottom!

Parfum/perfume A typical cosmetic can contain up to 100 chemicals in the perfume alone! 95 per cent of these chemicals are synthetic compounds derived from petroleum -26 of which are on an EU hit list. Fragrances have been linked to allergies and breathing difficulties and they penetrate the skin.

Xylene is listed as xytol or dimethylbenzene on nail varnish bottles. It can damage your liver, is narcotic in high concentrations and causes skin and respiratory tract irritation.

Diethanolamine Also Tri and Mono (DEA, TEA and MEA) are absorbed through skin where they accumulate in products also containing nitrates, they react and form nitrosamines which are carcigonemic.

Aluminium is found in most deodorants and has been linked to Alzheimer’s. If you want to stay alert, and still smell fresh and clean switch to a safer one.

Triclosan sometimes listed as 5-chloro-2 (2,4-dichlorophenoxy) phenol, is in deodorants, toothpastes, vaginal washes and mouthwashes. Toxic dioxins are produced during its manufacture or incineration. It is stored in breast milk and in fish, and can break down in water to create a member of the dioxin family.

Source: FoodMatters.tv

More Nutrition Information

Hey guys, hope to see lots of you tomorrow on the trail run…meanwhile here is a great nutrition blog started by the folks at Crossfit Unlimited!  Your training can be perfect, but if your eating crap…you will look like crap!  Proper training does not make up for improper diet!!

http://www.nutritionize.net/

-See you on the trail, or in the Gym!

-Brian

P.S. Enjoy this really cool kettlebell video… this dude is tossing a 70lb kettlebell aroung like a baseball!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Uj94oEZosc&feature=player_embedded

WOD- April 29th, 2009

8 rounds for time of :

10 push press 75 /45

20 walking lunges

5 pull ups

10 box jumps 20 / 24

10 GHD sit ups / or 20 normal sit ups

20 double unders

“Train Them How to Eat” with Skip Chase, 2009 CrossFit Affiliate Gathering – video [wmv] [mov]

How do you eat? Do you “zone”, do you eat whole foods? Is your diet crap?

Post times and thoughts to comments

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