Nutrition at Cure Help Health Tips

 

While much of the information at Cure Help Health Tips can be beneficial and empowering, we'd just like to remind you that the suggestions found on this web site are intended for informational purposes only and are not medical advice.

 

Nutrition Articles, Tips and Information

Maximizing Your Nutrition Dollar

Getting the most nutrition for every dollar spent is of great concern for those interested in maintaining good health. Yet for the average consumer, the nutrition derived from fresh food dollars has substantially decreased over the past three decades. Why is this happening and what can be done about it?

The answer lies in many of the habits of our modern lifestyle.

Everyone wants good nutrition from the foods we eat and we are encouraged to eat five or more servings of fruits and vegetables every day. Yet in light of the methods used to bring food to our tables, getting even minimal levels of nutrients from the foods we eat can be a challenge. Why is it such a challenge to get good nutrition from our most basic foods?

Examples of this are tomatoes and lettuce. Vine ripened tomatoes are proven to contain higher levels of beta-carotene, lycopene and soluble fiber than green picked fruit. Lettuce loses up to 46% of certain nutrients within 7 days of cold, dark storage.

Another reason for nutrient poor produce is the very soils they are grown in. Soils throughout North America have been depleted since the 'dust bowl' years of the 1930's. Soil depletion is a problem worldwide, because of poor farming methods that take from the soil without returning the minerals vital to good health. Modern methods replace only the minerals necessary for good plant growth, not trace minerals essential for human health. Although this trend is beginning to be reversed by today's organic farmer's careful cultivation of the soil, depletion continues to be a problem throughout the world with little attention paid to the contribution of trace minerals to good health.

How food is stored on the grocery shelf also has an impact on nutrition. Tomato juice retains vitamin C better in cans than in glass containers, whereas orange juice retains its vitamin C better in glass than plastic or glass containers. Vitamin K as well as some B vitamins is depleted by exposure to light, including fluorescent light present in grocery stores. For example, enriched pastas can lose up to 80% riboflavin content if stored in lighted conditions for just 12 weeks.

Other factors that influence nutritional quality of fresh fruits and vegetables include washing, preparation (chopping, slicing, etc.), and cooking and storage methods in the home. There are too many known variables in preserving food nutritional quality to list in this brief article. Yet, very little research has been done to fully determine nutrient losses in our modern food system. There is a very good source available which summarizes much of what is known. Written by Jane Ramberg, MS and Bill McAnalley, PhD and titled, "From Farm to the Kitchen Table: A Review of the Nutrient Losses in Foods", published in the Glycoscience & Nutrition journal, September 1, 2002 issue, volume 3, number 5, this informative summary is the basis for information provided in this article. Anyone who desires a free copy of the entire summary may obtain one by contacting the author at the source listed in the author's bio.

The best defense against nutritionally depleted foods is careful supplementation followed by purchasing fresh foods as close to the source and organically grown whenever feasible. Maximizing your nutrition dollar by getting optimal nutrition from all sources is your best offensive move for maintaining good health.

 

 

 

As always, before you attempt to self medicate or try a new health regimen or program we suggest you retain the services of a qualified health care professional.

 

Nutrition and Arthritic Pets

 

We have talked about the importance of both diet and exercise when dealing with a pet that has arthritis. I think that diet is such an important issue that it is one we should discuss in greater detail. It is becoming common knowledge that as humans, our bodies perform better when we "eat right." It is equally important for pets to follow healthy food guidelines as well.

 

All we have to do is "scoop and dish it." This first group that I will call the "generics" is the least desirable from a nutritional standpoint. Of course, that is why they carry the lowest price tag.

 

The Generic Foods
There are three "groups" of processed foods and it usually one or more of these that we purchase to feed our pets: 1) the "Generic" group, 2) the "Premium" group, and 3) the "natural foods" group. The first group is the focus of this discussion. All three groups appeal to us for obvious reasons. We like the convenience factor. Unfortunately, when you are trying to provide a healthy diet to an arthritic pet, it frankly does a less than desirable job in my opinion.

 

What is that stuff?

This is the category of pet foods that contains animal and plant by-products. If you are paying attention, they also contain artificial preservatives and additives. This group of pet foods uses the cheapest possible ingredients. Unfortunately, manufacturers are not held to extremely high standards here.

 

It is also important to note that pet food is a "spin-off" of the human food industry. As we all know, the standards are certainly higher for food manufactured for humans than it is for pets. What happens is that the pet food segment of this industry gets the opportunity to "unload" ingredients that would not pass muster for humans.

 

This is where you will find that even the "grains" purported to be in these foods is either over processed or is whole grain that is simply not fit for humans to eat. As well, there are often parts of an animal used in manufacturing pet food that frankly put, is not the least bit desirable.

 

Measuring Up

You do not have to become a "food expert" to make decisions here. Assuming you can afford to spend a little extra for pet food, use some common sense. Price is a good guideline. If you see a 40-pound bag of dog food that is on sale for $12.95, it is likely not on the most desirable food list (a least, not from my standpoint.) If you study the label, it likely will tell you that this is correct.

 

<strong>Premium and All-Natural
When you move up in price, you are likely looking at "premium" and "all-natural" offerings. The premium brands are going to be on most store shelves and usually they are sold by veterinarians as well. Even this food group does not necessarily have the finest ingredients. Unfortunately, price alone does not always tell the story here.

 

The "all-natural" pet foods, generally speaking, are the best of the bunch. These use natural preservatives and you are not going to find artificial flavoring or coloring. Of course, the price corresponds to the quality and for some of you it is not feasible from a budget standpoint. I have recommended using raw vegetables as part of your pet's diet. It is far less expensive and once they get used to it (and, if you do not overdo it) it is a healthy and less expensive approach.

 

Pets with arthritis need solid and healthy nutrition. If your budget allows you the luxury of giving them the best, then opt for the all-natural group. Remember, high-quality liquid glucosamine is only part of the picture. To get an arthritic pet healthier overall, it requires attention to both diet and exercise as well.

 

JR Rogers is the owner of Synflex America Inc. makers of Syn-flex, a premium glucosamine arthritis formula for humans and household pets.
The author's statements have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not provided to diagnose or to suggest that liquid glucosamine and chondroitin will treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

 

Brink's Unified Theory of Nutrition For Weight Loss and Muscle Gain

 

When people hear the term Unified Theory, some times called the Grand Unified Theory, or even "Theory of Everything," they probably think of it in terms of physics, where a Unified Theory, or single theory capable of defining the nature of the interrelationships among nuclear, electromagnetic, and gravitational forces, would reconcile seemingly incompatible aspects of various field theories to create a single comprehensive set of equations.

Such a theory could potentially unlock all the secrets of nature and the universe itself, or as theoretical physicist Michio Katu, puts it "an equation an inch long that would allow us to read the mind of God."

That's how important unified theories can be. However, unified theories don't have to deal with such heady topics as physics or the nature of the universe itself, but can be applied to far more mundane topics, in this case nutrition.

 

Regardless of the topic, a unified theory, as sated above, seeks to explain seemingly incompatible aspects of various theories. In this article I attempt to unify seemingly incompatible or opposing views regarding nutrition, namely, what is probably the longest running debate in the nutritional sciences: calories vs. macro nutrients. One school, I would say the 'old school' of nutrition, maintains weight loss or weight gain is all about calories, and "a calorie is a calorie," no matter the source (e.g., carbs, fats, or proteins). They base their position on various lines of evidence to come to that conclusion.

 

The other school, I would call more the 'new school' of thought on the issue, would state that gaining or losing weight is really about where the calories come from (e.g., carbs, fats, and proteins), and that dictates weight loss or weight gain. Meaning, they feel, the "calorie is a calorie" mantra of the old school is wrong. They too come to this conclusion using various lines of evidence. This has been an ongoing debate between people in the field of nutrition, biology, physiology, and many other disciplines, for decades. The result of which has led to conflicting advice and a great deal of confusion by the general public, not to mention many medical professionals and other groups.

 

Before I go any further, two key points that are essential to understand about any unified theory:

A good unified theory is simple, concise, and understandable even to lay people. However, underneath, or behind that theory, is often a great deal of information that can take up many volumes of books. So, for me to outline all the information I have used to come to these conclusions, would take a large book, if not several and is far beyond the scope of this article. A unified theory is often proposed by some theorist before it can even be proven or fully supported by physical evidence.

 

Over time, different lines of evidence, whether it be mathematical, physical, etc., supports the theory and thus solidifies that theory as being correct, or continued lines of evidence shows the theory needs to be revised or is simply incorrect. I feel there is now more than enough evidence at this point to give a unified theory of nutrition and continuing lines of evidence will continue (with some possible revisions) to solidify the theory as fact.

 

"A calorie is a calorie"

The old school of nutrition, which often includes most nutritionists, is a calorie is a calorie when it comes to gaining or losing weight. That weight loss or weight gain is strictly a matter of "calories in, calories out." Translated, if you "burn" more calories than you take in, you will lose weight regardless of the calorie source and if you eat more calories than you burn off each day, you will gain weight, regardless of the calorie source.

 

This long held and accepted view of nutrition is based on the fact that protein and carbs contain approx 4 calories per gram and fat approximately 9 calories per gram and the source of those calories matters not. They base this on the many studies that finds if one reduces calories by X number each day, weight loss is the result and so it goes if you add X number of calories above what you use each day for gaining weight.

 

However, the "calories in calories out" mantra fails to take into account modern research that finds that fats, carbs, and proteins have very different effects on the metabolism via countless pathways, such as their effects on hormones (e.g., insulin, leptin, glucagon, etc), effects on hunger and appetite, thermic effects (heat production), effects on uncoupling proteins (UCPs), and 1000 other effects that could be mentioned.

 

Even worse, this school of thought fails to take into account the fact that even within a macro nutrient, they too can have different effects on metabolism. This school of thought ignores the ever mounting volume of studies that have found diets with different macro nutrient ratios with identical calorie intakes have different effects on body composition, cholesterol levels, oxidative stress, etc.

 

Translated, not only is the mantra "a calorie us a calorie" proven to be false, "all fats are created equal" or "protein is protein" is also incorrect. For example, we no know different fats (e.g. fish oils vs. saturated fats) have vastly different effects on metabolism and health in general, as we now know different carbohydrates have their own effects (e.g. high GI vs. low GI), as we know different proteins can have unique effects.

 

The "calories don't matter" school of thought

This school of thought will typically tell you that if you eat large amounts of some particular macro nutrient in their magic ratios, calories don't matter. For example, followers of ketogenic style diets that consist of high fat intakes and very low carbohydrate intakes (i.e., Atkins, etc.) often maintain calories don't matter in such a diet.

 

Others maintain if you eat very high protein intakes with very low fat and carbohydrate intakes, calories don't matter. Like the old school, this school fails to take into account the effects such diets have on various pathways and ignore the simple realities of human physiology, not to mention the laws of thermodynamics!

 

The reality is, although it's clear different macro nutrients in different amounts and ratios have different effects on weight loss, fat loss, and other metabolic effects, calories do matter. They always have and they always will. The data, and real world experience of millions of dieters, is quite clear on that reality.

 

The truth behind such diets is that they are often quite good at suppressing appetite and thus the person simply ends up eating fewer calories and losing weight. Also, the weight loss from such diets is often from water vs. fat, at least in the first few weeks. That's not to say people can't experience meaningful weight loss with some of these diets, but the effect comes from a reduction in calories vs. any magical effects often claimed by proponents of such diets.

 

Weight loss vs. fat loss!

This is where we get into the crux of the true debate and why the two schools of thought are not actually as far apart from one another as they appear to the untrained eye. What has become abundantly clear from the studies performed and real world evidence is that to lose weight we need to use more calories than we take in (via reducing calorie intake and or increasing exercise), but we know different diets have different effects on the metabolism, appetite, body composition, and other physiological variables...

 

Brink's Unified Theory of Nutrition

...Thus, this reality has led me to Brink's Unified Theory of Nutrition which states:

"Total calories dictates how much weight a person gains or loses; macro nutrient ratios dictates what a person gains or loses"

This seemingly simple statement allows people to understand the differences between the two schools of thought. For example, studies often find that two groups of people put on the same calorie intakes but very different ratios of carbs, fats, and proteins will lose different amounts of bodyfat and or lean body mass (i.e., muscle, bone, etc.).

 

Some studies find for example people on a higher protein lower carb diet lose approximately the same amount of weight as another group on a high carb lower protein diet, but the group on the higher protein diet lost more actual fat and less lean body mass (muscle). Or, some studies using the same calorie intakes but different macro nutrient intakes often find the higher protein diet may lose less actual weight than the higher carb lower protein diets, but the actual fat loss is higher in the higher protein low carb diets. This effect has also been seen in some studies that compared high fat/low carb vs. high carb/low fat diets. The effect is usually amplified if exercise is involved as one might expect.

 

Of course these effects are not found universally in all studies that examine the issue, but the bulk of the data is clear: diets containing different macro nutrient ratios do have different effects on human physiology even when calorie intakes are identical (1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11).

 

Or, as the authors of one recent study that looked at the issue concluded:

"Diets with identical energy contents can have different effects on leptin concentrations, energy expenditure, voluntary food intake, and nitrogen balance, suggesting that the physiologic adaptations to energy restriction can be modified by dietary composition."(12)

The point being, there are many studies confirming that the actual ratio of carbs, fats, and proteins in a given diet can effect what is actually lost (i.e., fat, muscle, bone, and water) and that total calories has the greatest effect on how much total weight is lost. Are you starting to see how my unified theory of nutrition combines the "calorie is a calorie" school with the "calories don't matter" school to help people make decisions about nutrition?

 

Knowing this, it becomes much easier for people to understand the seemingly conflicting diet and nutrition advice out there (of course this does not account for the down right unscientific and dangerous nutrition advice people are subjected to via bad books, TV, the 'net, and well meaning friends, but that's another article altogether).

 

Knowing the above information and keeping the Unified Theory of Nutrition in mind, leads us to some important and potentially useful conclusions:

An optimal diet designed to make a person lose fat and retain as much LBM as possible is not the same as a diet simply designed to lose weight. A nutrition program designed to create fat loss is not simply a reduced calorie version of a nutrition program designed to gain weight, and visa versa. Diets need to be designed with fat loss, NOT just weight loss, as the goal, but total calories can't be ignored. This is why the diets I design for people-or write about-for gaining or losing weight are not simply higher or lower calorie versions of the same diet.

 

In short: diets plans I design for gaining LBM start with total calories and build macro nutrient ratios into the number of calories required. However, diets designed for fat loss (vs. weight loss!) start with the correct macro nutrient ratios that depend on variables such as amount of LBM the person carries vs. bodyfat percent , activity levels, etc., and figure out calories based on the proper macro nutrient ratios to achieve fat loss with a minimum loss of LBM. The actual ratio of macro nutrients can be quite different for both diets and even for individuals. Diets that give the same macro nutrient ratio to all people (e.g., 40/30/30, or 70,30,10, etc.) regardless of total calories, goals, activity levels, etc., will always be less than optimal.

 

Optimal macro nutrient ratios can change with total calories and other variables. Perhaps most important, the unified theory explains why the focus on weight loss vs. fat loss by the vast majority of people, including most medical professionals, and the media, will always fail in the long run to deliver the results people want. Finally, the Universal Theory makes it clear that the optimal diet for losing fat, or gaining muscle, or what ever the goal, must account not only for total calories, but macro nutrient ratios that optimize metabolic effects and answer the questions: what effects will this diet have on appetite? What effects will this diet have on metabolic rate? What effects will this diet have on my lean body mass (LBM)? What effects will this diet have on hormones; both hormones that may improve or impede my goals? What effects will this diet have on (fill in the blank)?

 

Simply asking, "how much weight will I lose?" is the wrong question which will lead to the wrong answer. To get the optimal effects from your next diet, whether looking to gain weight or lose it, you must ask the right questions to get meaningful answers. Asking the right questions will also help you avoid the pitfalls of unscientific poorly thought out diets which make promises they can't keep and go against what we know about human physiology and the very laws of physics!

 

There are of course many additional questions that can be asked and points that can be raised as it applies to the above, but those are some of the key issues that come to mind. Bottom line here is, if the diet you are following to either gain or loss weight does not address those issues and or questions, then you can count on being among the millions of disappointed people who don't receive the optimal results they had hoped for and have made yet another nutrition "guru" laugh all the way to the bank at your expense.

Any diet that claims calories don't matter, forget it. Any diet that tells you they have a magic ratio of foods, ignore it. Any diet that tells you any one food source is evil, it's a scam. Any diet that tells you it will work for all people all the time no matter the circumstances, throw it out or give it to someone you don't like!

 

Creatine: More than a sports nutrition supplement

Although creatine offers an array of benefits, most people think of it simply as a supplement that bodybuilders and other athletes use to gain strength and muscle mass. Nothing could be further from the truth. A substantial body of research has found that creatine may have a wide variety of uses. In fact, creatine is being studied as a supplement that may help with diseases affecting the neuromuscular system, such as muscular dystrophy (MD).

 

Recent studies suggest creatine may have therapeutic applications in aging populations for wasting syndromes, muscle atrophy, fatigue, gyrate atrophy, Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease and other brain pathologies. Several studies have shown creatine can reduce cholesterol by up to 15% and it has been used to correct certain inborn errors of metabolism, such as in people born without the enzyme(s) responsible for making creatine. Some studies have found that creatine may increase growth hormone production.

 

What is creatine?

Creatine is formed in the human body from the amino acids methionine, glycine and arginine. The average person's body contains approximately 120 grams of creatine stored as creatine phosphate. Certain foods such as beef, herring and salmon, are fairly high in creatine. However, a person would have to eat pounds of these foods daily to equal what can be obtained in one teaspoon of powdered creatine.

 

Creatine is directly related to adenosine triphosphate (ATP). ATP is formed in the powerhouses of the cell, the mitochondria. ATP is often referred to as the "universal energy molecule" used by every cell in our bodies. An increase in oxidative stress coupled with a cell's inability to produce essential energy molecules such as ATP, is a hallmark of the aging cell and is found in many disease states.

 

Key factors in maintaining health are the ability to: (a) prevent mitochondrial damage to DNA caused by reactive oxygen species (ROS) and (b) prevent the decline in ATP synthesis, which reduces whole body ATP levels. It would appear that maintaining antioxidant status (in particular intra-cellular glutathione) and ATP levels are essential in fighting the aging process.

 

It is interesting to note that many of the most promising anti-aging nutrients such as CoQ10, NAD, acetyl-l-carnitine and lipoic acid are all taken to maintain the ability of the mitochondria to produce high energy compounds such as ATP and reduce oxidative stress.

The ability of a cell to do work is directly related to its ATP status and the health of the mitochondria. Heart tissue, neurons in the brain and other highly active tissues are very sensitive to this system. Even small changes in ATP can have profound effects on the tissues' ability to function properly. Of all the nutritional supplements available to us currently, creatine appears to be the most effective for maintaining or raising ATP levels.

 

How does creatine work?

In a nutshell, creatine works to help generate energy. When ATP loses a phosphate molecule and becomes adenosine diphosphate (ADP), it must be converted back to ATP to produce energy. Creatine is stored in the human body as creatine phosphate (CP) also called phosphocreatine.

 

When ATP is depleted, it can be recharged by CP. That is, CP donates a phosphate molecule to the ADP, making it ATP again. An increased pool of CP means faster and greater recharging of ATP, which means more work can be performed. This is why creatine has been so successful for athletes. For short-duration explosive sports, such as sprinting, weight lifting and other anaerobic endeavors, ATP is the energy system used.

 

To date, research has shown that ingesting creatine can increase the total body pool of CP which leads to greater generation of energy for anaerobic forms of exercise, such as weight training and sprinting. Other effects of creatine may be increases in protein synthesis and increased cell hydration.

 

Creatine has had spotty results in affecting performance in endurance sports such as swimming, rowing and long distance running, with some studies showing no positive effects on performance in endurance athletes. Whether or not the failure of creatine to improve performance in endurance athletes was due to the nature of the sport or the design of the studies is still being debated.Creatine can be found in the form of creatine monohydrate, creatine citrate, creatine phosphate, creatine-magnesium chelate and even liquid versions.

 

However, the vast majority of research to date showing creatine to have positive effects on pathologies, muscle mass and performance used the monohydrate form. Creatine monohydrate is over 90% absorbable. What follows is a review of some of the more interesting and promising research studies with creatine.

 

Creatine and neuromuscular diseases

One of the most promising areas of research with creatine is its effect on neuromuscular diseases such as MD. One study looked at the safety and efficacy of creatine monohydrate in various types of muscular dystrophies using a double blind, crossover trial. Thirty-six patients (12 patients with facioscapulohumeral dystrophy, 10 patients with Becker dystrophy, eight patients with Duchenne dystrophy and six patients with sarcoglycan-deficient limb girdle muscular dystrophy) were randomized to receive creatine or placebo for eight weeks.

 

The researchers found there was a "mild but significant improvement" in muscle strength in all groups. The study also found a general improvement in the patients' daily-life activities as demonstrated by improved scores in the Medical Research Council scales and the Neuromuscular Symptom scale. Creatine was well tolerated throughout the study period, according to the researchers.1

Another group of researchers fed creatine monohydrate to people with neuromuscular disease at 10 grams per day for five days, then reduced the dose to 5 grams per day for five days.

 

The first study used 81 people and was followed by a single-blinded study of 21 people. In both studies, body weight, handgrip, dorsiflexion and knee extensor strength were measured before and after treatment. The researchers found "Creatine administration increased all measured indices in both studies." Short-term creatine monohydrate increased high-intensity strength significantly in patients with neuromuscular disease.2

 

There have also been many clinical observations by physicians that creatine improves the strength, functionality and symptomology of people with various diseases of the neuromuscular system.

 

Creatine and neurological protection/brain injury

If there is one place creatine really shines, it's in protecting the brain from various forms of neurological injury and stress. A growing number of studies have found that creatine can protect the brain from neurotoxic agents, certain forms of injury and other insults.

Several in vitro studies found that neurons exposed to either glutamate or beta-amyloid (both highly toxic to neurons and involved in various neurological diseases) were protected when exposed to creatine.3 The researchers hypothesized that "? cells supplemented with the precursor creatine make more phosphocreatine (PCr) and create larger energy reserves with consequent neuroprotection against stressors."

 

More recent studies, in vitro and in vivo in animals, have found creatine to be highly neuroprotective against other neurotoxic agents such as N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) and malonate.4 Another study found that feeding rats creatine helped protect them against tetrahydropyridine (MPTP), which produces parkinsonism in animals through impaired energy production. The results were impressive enough for these researchers to conclude, "These results further implicate metabolic dysfunction in MPTP neurotoxicity and suggest a novel therapeutic approach, which may have applicability in Parkinson's disease."5 Other studies have found creatine protected neurons from ischemic (low oxygen) damage as is often seen after strokes or injuries.6

 

Yet more studies have found creatine may play a therapeutic and or protective role in Huntington's disease7, 8 as well as ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis).9 This study found that "? oral administration of creatine produced a dose-dependent improvement in motor performance and extended survival in G93A transgenic mice, and it protected mice from loss of both motor neurons and substantia nigra neurons at 120 days of age.

 

Creatine administration protected G93A transgenic mice from increases in biochemical indices of oxidative damage. Therefore, creatine administration may be a new therapeutic strategy for ALS." Amazingly, this is only the tip of the iceberg showing creatine may have therapeutic uses for a wide range of neurological disease as well as injuries to the brain.

 

One researcher who has looked at the effects of creatine commented, "This food supplement may provide clues to the mechanisms responsible for neuronal loss after traumatic brain injury and may find use as a neuroprotective agent against acute and delayed neurodegenerative processes."

 

Creatine and heart function

Because it is known that heart cells are dependent on adequate levels of ATP to function properly, and that cardiac creatine levels are depressed in chronic heart failure, researchers have looked at supplemental creatine to improve heart function and overall symptomology in certain forms of heart disease.

 

It is well known that people suffering from chronic heart failure have limited endurance, strength and tire easily, which greatly limits their ability to function in everyday life. Using a double blind, placebo-controlled design, 17 patients aged 43 to 70 years with an ejection fraction <40 were supplemented with 20 grams of creatine daily for 10 days.

 

Before and after creatine supplementation, the researchers looked at:

1) Ejection fraction of the heart (blood present in the ventricle at the end of diastole and expelled during the contraction of the heart)

2) 1-legged knee extensor (which tests strength)

3) Exercise performance on the cycle ergometer (which tests endurance)

 

Biopsies were also taken from muscle to determine if there was an increase in energy-producing compounds (i.e., creatine and creatine phosphate). Interestingly, but not surprisingly, the ejection fraction at rest and during the exercise phase did not increase.

However, the biopsies revealed a considerable increase in tissue levels of creatine and creatine phosphate in the patients getting the supplemental creatine. More importantly, patients getting the creatine had increases in strength and peak torque (21%, P < 0.05) and endurance (10%, P < 0.05).

 

Both peak torque and 1-legged performance increased linearly with increased skeletal muscle phosphocreatine (P < 0.05). After just one week of creatine supplementation, the researchers concluded: "Supplementation to patients with chronic heart failure did not increase ejection fraction but increased skeletal muscle energy-rich phosphagens and performance as regards both strength and endurance.

 

This new therapeutic approach merits further attention."10

Another study looked at the effects of creatine supplementation on endurance and muscle metabolism in people with congestive heart failure.11 In particular the researchers looked at levels of ammonia and lactate, two important indicators of muscle performance under stress.

 

Lactate and ammonia levels rise as intensity increases during exercise and higher levels are associated with fatigue. High-level athletes have lower levels of lactate and ammonia during a given exercise than non-athletes, as the athletes' metabolism is better at dealing with these metabolites of exertion, allowing them to perform better. This study found that patients with congestive heart failure given 20 grams of creatine per day had greater strength and endurance (measured as handgrip exercise at 25%, 50% and 75% of maximum voluntary contraction or until exhaustion) and had lower levels of lactate and ammonia than the placebo group.

 

This shows that creatine supplementation in chronic heart failure augments skeletal muscle endurance and attenuates the abnormal skeletal muscle metabolic response to exercise. It is important to note that the whole-body lack of essential high energy compounds (e.g. ATP, creatine, creatine phosphate, etc.) in people with chronic congestive heart failure is not a matter of simple malnutrition, but appears to be a metabolic derangement in skeletal muscle and other tissues.

 

Supplementing with high energy precursors such as creatine monohydrate appears to be a highly effective, low cost approach to helping these patients live more functional lives, and perhaps extend their life spans.

 

Conclusion

Creatine is quickly becoming one of the most well researched and promising supplements for a wide range of diseases. It may have additional uses for pathologies where a lack of high energy compounds and general muscle weakness exist, such as fibromyalgia.

People with fibromyalgia have lower levels of creatine phosphate and ATP levels compared to controls.13 Some studies also suggest it helps with the strength and endurance of healthy but aging people as well.

 

Though additional research is needed, there is a substantial body of research showing creatine is an effective and safe supplement for a wide range of pathologies and may be the next big find in anti-aging nutrients. Although the doses used in some studies were quite high, recent studies suggest lower doses are just as effective for increasing the overall creatine phosphate pool in the body.

Two to three grams per day appears adequate for healthy people to increase their tissue levels of creatine phosphate. People with the aforementioned pathologies may benefit from higher intakes, in the 5-to-10 grams per day range.

 

 

How to Start a Nutrition Home Business

 

Most people discuss nutrition daily. How would you like to help people by starting a nutrition home business? It is an industry that is growing and changing constantly. Nutrition is big business and by starting a nutrition business now, you are getting in at the right time. But you first have to find your niche and decide on what type of business you want in this industry. There are several options for you to choose from.

The fist option is to sign up with a company that uses nutrition business representatives to sell their products. Many of these companies are Multi Level Marketing companies. The business is yours, but they usually supply training, support, and sales and marketing tools. They tend to have many benefits and few downsides. One benefit is that the public already knows the company name. This helps the nutrition business owner get established and succeed.

With this type of nutrition company you will have to advertise locally and build a client base. This will only give you part of your income potential. If you get others to become nutrition business representatives, you will earn residual income from them and those who become representatives under them. The more you help them, and the more they help others, the higher your income.

If this doesn't sound interesting to you or if you don't want to deal with people personally, look into becoming a business representative for a warehouse distribution company. Some of these companies help people to start nutrition businesses from home, or a variety of other types of businesses, for minimal start up costs. They will usually help you create a website that is linked to their warehouse. The orders are processed from your website, and shipped to your customers directly. This is how you earn your money. The main drawback is that if no one finds your web site you don't get any orders.

You should join affiliations on the internet. These affiliations allow you to put a link on web sites in the affiliation that lead to your nutrition home business website. These affiliations can cost up to hundreds of dollars. Each affiliation is different. Remember, on the internet you have to spend money to drive web surfers to your nutrition home business site. The other thing is to create web site content that is search engine optimized. The higher the keyword in the search engine list, the higher your web site will be to the top of the list.

The last option is to go to college and get your degree in nutrition. This option does cost more and takes longer, but upon graduation, your nutrition business options open up wide. Many nutritionists work for themselves, but partner with doctors and hospitals. They establish a practice and see clients in their home or rented office space. Having a nutrition business at home allows you to set your own hours and to work as much or as little as you want. You can specialize in nutritional supplements to help lose or gain weight, sports nutrition, or as a nutritionist specializing in eating disorders. Whichever option, your choices are limitless.

Depending on the money you want to spend and what kind of nutrition business you prefer, will help you decide which option is best for you. It is important to choose the option you are most comfortable with, because it is then more likely you will succeed and your business will be profitable.

 

To Do: Stock Up on Absolute Nutrition C-Block to Achieve Fat Loss

Renee Zellweger fattened up on carbs to achieve her character's "voluptuousness" in Bridget Jones's Diary. Not able to beef up her body mass through salty foods like potato chips and other junk food fast enough for the requirements of her shooting schedule, she gobbled up dozens and dozens of donuts to become Bridget - the one whose "legs reach up to only here," and "who will always be a little fat." So, it makes sense for people who don't want to be always "a little fat" to run away from carbs as far away as they can.

 

We no longer live on farms, so our foods often must travel great distances from field to table. Because consumers demand produce with an attractive (read 'perfect') appearance, the food industry focus is on producing fruits and vegetables that ship well, not nutrient content. Picked green in the field and shipped in cold storage, many types of produce that look great in the store fail to produce optimal nutrients that develop only in the ripe state, or lose much of their nutrients in cold dark conditions.

For many people on a diet, carbohydrates are the enemy. But then, truth to tell, we all love our carbs. Pasta, potatoes, rice, and noodles all these are staple foods for most peoples of different countries and are an essential part of our daily diet. Only the thought of an extra pound of fat, an extra sag to our droopy bellies and more cellulites (all very Hollywood concerns, really, but very real, for those on a diet for either vanity or health reasons, as well as for professional bodybuilders) that deters us from indulging ourselves and renouncing our love for carbs. So, how do you achieve fat loss without giving up the carbs?

Now mere mortals like us do not have to deprive ourselves of life's little pleasures, including carbo-rich foods. A fat loss supplement that blocks the negative effects of carbo-loading is fortunately available in the market. Absolute Nutrition C-Block inhibits the digestive enzyme called "alpha-amylaze" an enzyme that is the last step for breaking down carbohydrates.

By doing this, Absolute Nutrition C-Block prevents the conversion of the carbohydrates that we gobble up into glucose or sugar. Fat is stored in our bodies when carbohydrates is transformed into sugar. Absolute Nutrition C-Block prevents the absorption of part of the carbs we consume everyday, thus doing away with the calories and sugar connected with those carbohydrates. With Absolute Nutrition C-Block, carbs that used to be stored as fats are flushed out of the body minus the detrimental side effects. What's more, C-Block is free of ephedrine (The US-FDA prohibited component of some dietary supplements), it is caffeine-free and stimulant-free.

Phaseolamine is Absolute Nutrition C-Block's active ingredient trademarked as Trim Plex or Phaseolus Vulgaris: It is the "processed extract of the northern white kidney bean," said to be an all-natural compound. It also contains the compounds "chromium" and "vanadium," both said to maintain stable blood sugar levels. Weight loss requires stable blood sugar levels because chronically high insulin levels result in a remarkable "repartitioning of macronutrients" such as carbohydrates, proteins, and fats into stored fats or "adipose tissue."

Taken properly (that is, 1-2 tablets 15 minutes before each meal with a full glass of water), this fat loss supplement has the potential to block up to 35 grams of unwanted starches per meal. Thirty-five grams of starch is roughly equivalent in size to a medium potato. Thus, we don't have to cut down on our carbs to achieve a toned body and less body mass. All we need to do is add to our shopping list that fat loss supplement product called Absolute Nutrition C-Block.

Though everyone, from our family physician to personal trainer would agree that proper diet and regular exercise are still the best way to lose our unwanted fat and to attain the best shape that we could be in, it doesn't hurt to help our weight loss targets by taking dietary supplements like Absolute Nutrition C-Block. Nevertheless, as in most weight loss programs, it is best to consult a doctor first before taking any fat loss and dietary supplements.

So here's an additional item on Bridget's "To do" List: Stock up on Absolute Nutrition C-Block.

 

John Doetsch is editor at the Bodybuilding Supplement Guide where you will find further nutritional supplement reviews.
Check out our other recommended fat loss supplements, and more.

 

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Calcium Magnesium Iron - Below are listed some foods that are containing ingredients of healthy nutrition. Berries are incredible antioxidants Ah, the sweet taste of fresh berries! Berries are actually good for you and contain plant nutrients called anthocyanidins. Some of these have high levels of resveratrol, which helps fight heart disease and cancer.

Calories Don't Matter - Nutritional needs change as a dog ages. Many breeds of dogs enter their senior years at 5-7. Like humans, as dogs' age, their metabolism slows down. Obesity is one of the most common afflictions facing senior dogs. Stiff joints and muscles leave them wanting to run around less.

Lose Weight Fact - Fad diets are not the best way to lose weight and keep it off. Fad diets often promise quick weight loss or tell you to cut certain foods out of your diet. You may lose weight at first on one of these diets. But diets that strictly limit calories or food choices are hard to follow.

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Herbal Diet Pill - Real stories are windows into the practical application of orthomolecular nutrition We live in an age where we are constantly being bombarded with conflicting information by people selling us products or services to earn a profit -most of which turn out to be of no value or benefit. In this case, however, you are being made aware of your body's most elemental requirements for health and healing.

Herbal Nutrition Supplement - A new study published in the American Journal of Psychiatry shows that children who experience malnutrition exhibit strikingly increased behavioral disorders and aggressive behavior as they grow older. The study looked at children between the ages of eight and 17 years, and found some rather shocking statistics about their behaviors.

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Anti Aging Treatments - Life, these days, is at such a fast pace, many people do not take the time to eat properly, thereby shortening their lives. When people do not eat right, their body cells cannot repair themselves. It is increasingly difficult to supply the family with the proper nutrition, because of the depletion of minerals and nutrients in farmland.

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