When to Eat Less Fat for More Energy

Hello everyone! Today I am going to be sharing a concept that I talk about in my new ebook All Day Energy: The Power of Raw Food. This concept involves shifting your macronutrients around in a way that leaves you having more energy. This concept really hits home for me and I have experienced the benefits of it firsthand by applying this simple technique.

If there is a term for this concept, I apologize, but for now I want to consider it as a “Fat Fast”. Most of us know about the concept of fasting and what the objectives are behind it. This particular concept involves a decrease in your fat intake for the meals you have during the day.

It requires eating less fat during the day. Similar to a fast, but you only cut back on the fat intake for each meal and not fully avoid it. When your day is over and it’s time to relax, you simply add in the fats that you withheld earlier in the day.

For most of us, a 9 to 5 grind is our thing and many of those like to come home to relax after work. For some other people, their day starts in the afternoon. Whenever you shall be the most focused and productive is when you want the most energy right?

HOW ENERGY IS RELEASED FROM FAT

Fats, unlike carbohydrates and protein, provide a storage of energy rather than being used up at once. It can be used at a later time from the excess calories. The other calories from the fat that serve as health functions in the body are first stored where they need to go. With the leftover calories, they can provide one with a healthy metabolism, a steady release of energy fuel for the next day.

For this reason, a higher fat intake during meals tends to stall your energy release and can even make you feel more tired. This is why eating less fat when you want more readily available energy is a good idea. Save the fats for later for when you want to wind down for a better sleep. At dinner is a great time to store up on fats that can be used as fuel for the body when you want it.

Now we are, of course, talking about healthy fats here. Think of avocados, raw nuts and seeds, flax and hemp or olive oil, and salmon or sardines. For dessert, try some extra fine dark chocolate. 90% cacao contains heart-healthy fats and no sugar.

I personally experience a significant increase in energy when I have a meal with less fat. A good example of this is when I prepare my oatmeal for breakfast. I add in things like cinnamon, hemp protein, cacao powder and some nuts like almond slices and pecans. If I reduce the amount of almonds and pecans (which are high in fat) I experience a boost of energy rather than feeling lazy and tired if I loaded the oatmeal with them.

Now some may think that it is just the excess calories from nuts that slow you down, but what I usually do now is I add in maybe an extra teaspoon of hemp protein powder or increase the protein content to replace the fat. This gives me additional calories that actually provide me with a steadier release of energy rather than slowing me down. Maybe because protein is more readily available as burning fuel for the body than fat. It also keeps you fuller for longer which may have something to do with the steady release of energy as well as a good hit of the amino acid, L-tyrosine.

AN IDEAL PERCENTAGE OF FAT FOR MORE ENERGY

Now there is no specific or magical number of fat to have in a meal that will give you extreme energy, but less is more to an extent. I would not recommend having no fat at all. I would recommend a macro ratio for carbs/protein/fat at about 4:2:1. So for a meal that has about 300 calories, 60% or so should come from carbohydrates (mostly from complex carbs) and about 25 to 30% from protein. The rest of the calories would come from fat, which is 10 to 15%. Another example would be to have 30g of carbohydrates, 15g of protein and 7g of fat roughly.

NO NEED TO BE SO CARB-CONSCIOUS

 

Now many people may argue that a lower carb diet is the way to have more energy and burn fat. While I am not an expert in the weight loss department, I can assure you that carbs are your most readily available source of energy. I do not recommend a high amount of carbs at once though as it can give you an insulin spike and raise your blood sugar levels. This can happen if you have too high of carbohydrates at once and not enough fat and protein.

DOUBLE UP ON FATS AT DINNER

For your last meal before bed time, double up on healthy fats along with a solid amount of protein. Reduce or remove carbs, at this point. Foods like pasta, bread, rice or potatoes are not what you should be eating before bedtime. Needless to say, other forms of carbs like pizza and fries are are also a bad idea and in general. Don’t go overkill on the fats though. Too much fat at once can be hard on the digestive system as well as too much protein. 15 to 20 grams of protein and fat should do you just fine.

Too much fat at once will fill you up to the point where you feel bloaty and/or feel sluggish it slows you down. Not good when you want to be productive and focused. Overall, feeling “full” full, will leave you drained of energy. Ideally, you want to eat until you are about 3/4 full to obtain energy and satiety.

Also remember to give yourself enough time before bed for the food to digest. 2 to 3 hours is ideal.

So to recap, a trick to having more energy throughout the day is to cut down on the fat intake and load up on fat at the end of the day.

Remember, everyone’s body is different and we all come in different shapes and sizes. So depending on your weight, you will require more or less calories than the next person. Either way, the fat fast technique can be applied according to your caloric needs. A 220lb person who eats 4000 calories a day can reap the same energetic benefits as one who weighs 140lbs and eats 2000 calories a day. As long as you eat foods that have nutritional value and preferably raw for the majority. You can still eat for more energy by saving your fat till the end of the day.

I would suggest that if you are struggling with energy throughout the day to give this technique a shot. Tell me how it goes!

Thanks for reading along and we’ll see you on the next one!

Brendan K

Vibranatural

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How You Feel With What You Eat

 

Hello everyone and welcome to this week’s entry on the Vibranatural blog. Today, I thought I would write a topic based more on my experience rather than sharing researched information. Experiences with my current eating habits that I think will help you out and encourage you to think outside the box when it comes to making nutritional and diet adjustments. More specifically, to select and avoid certain food for your health and well being.

Many people, including myself, get hung up on and follow the latest health and fitness articles from magazines, online forums and websites, and favourite health gurus. Although they can be great resources at times, they really don’t serve you well if you just rely merely on the information alone.

It is up to you to find what works best for you in your health and fitness goals when it comes to your diet. We have heard of infinite amounts of different foods to eat for weight loss, when or how much to eat, at what time to eat X etc. to the point where it seems like anything will work for losing weight. That is because basically anything WILL work, but only because it has worked for someone else. Everything that has been tried, tested and proven to work may not essentially work for you except for one or a few things. This is why you can’t believe everything you read or hear about, but what you can do is test things out. Try new foods and switching times to eat, etc. I can only give you advice on what to do, but it is up to you to find out what truly works for you in your journey.

THE POWER OF PLACEBO

When it comes to bettering our health, so many people are making their food selections based on external information and their results are impacted merely on placebo. The placebo effect can be so powerful and insidious that you can’t tell for real if what you are doing nutritionally is working. Perhaps we are a bunch of social rats that benefit from the belief of something to work due to the power of marketing and social influence. In this case, let it be, however, for those who are overly conscious of their health, it can take a little more than mere faith to find something that works.

WHAT REALLY WORKS

One way to find out for sure if a certain diet or food is truly benefiting you in the way you intend or suspect is to start slacking on your healthy eating strategies. Thats right! Start adding in some more cheat meals here and there. Start eating lower quality of food that is heavily flavoured with cheap ingredients and refined heavily. Don’t worry, you wont be doing this for long if you value your health and well being.

So here is how it works. For example, I have been eating predominately all natural, single ingredient plant foods and less meat and dairy and hardly any processed and/or fast food for the last two years. It was a conscious decision I made that was influenced by a nutritional guru on the internet who soon became my mentor in the area of health and nutrition. The whole objective was to have all day energy that improved your health along the way. It has worked out significantly for me, but recently, I have not noticed anything new and helpful.

After several weeks of slacking on my nutrition ever so slightly (one junk food meal a day), I have noticed a cognitive and energetic decline. When I say junk food I am referring to processed foods like pasta, bread, nachos, pizza and treats that have multiple junk ingredients. Now when I first started this falling trend, I noticed no declining effect, but It soon caught up to me. I felt myself getting more sluggish and this was my cue to get back on track with my nutrition.

NEGLECT TO APPRECIATE

You see, all it took was to neglect what I have been practicing to a slight degree for a steady period to see that I was falling apart. The physical symptoms were evidence of this and from that, I learned to re-appreciate and value my nutritional practice that I have carried steadily for the past 2 years.

I am thankful for this experience because it is reassurance that what I have been practicing is what was keeping my healthfully stable. It also reassured me that eating garbage food, even once a day, has an impact on my moods, energy, and well being.

WHEN IN DOUBT, THINK NATURAL

I believe that an all natural, plant based diet is a solid foundation for feeling alive, strong, healthy and vibrant. This is true for me, but also for anyone who values themselves as a person.

SUPPLEMENTING WITH NUTRITIONAL SHAKES

I also believe that supplementing with things such as nutrient-dense whole food supplement powders are an ideal addition to a nutritionally sound diet. I have been using Vega One Nutritional Shake as an addition to my diet and it helps me out a lot. It has a broad spectrum of vitamins and minerals that are in a solid balance for optimal absorption of micronutrients as well as a balanced amount of carbs, fat, and protein. It also contains antioxidants, Omega 3 and probiotics in a significant amount and are more than just enough to give it a marketing label. It gives me tons of energy and leaves me feeling vibrant, healthy and satiated. It is also delicious!

I think that meal replacement shakes are essential even when your diet is nutritionally sound, because in many cases, our food these days, specifically produce, is lacking the nutrients due of soil degradation. To be safe, I feel that a quality all natural meal replacement shake like the ones from Vega, Garden of Life, and Amazing Grass are like insurance for our nutritional demands. They are also relatively cheap compared to buying expensive organic produce in the long run.

REMEMBERING WHY YOU STARTED ON YOUR HEALTH JOURNEY

What I encourage readers to do is to remember why you have chosen your path to ultimate health, weight loss, energy and whatever it is you aim for. It will be easy to retrieve to this when you start neglecting your healthy eating practices. The contrast in the effect food has on us grows the more we indulge in a healthy diet. The more you recognize how well food from mother nature nourishes you, the more you notice how highly processed and fast food slows you down.

When you find that you are not reaping the rewards of your nutrition practices, neglect it to varying degrees just to see the affects of eating poorly. Eating pizza and nachos everyday will help you see the benefit in healthy eating. After experiencing what you don’t want for yourself, you will be motivated once again to stay on top of your nutritional practice and continue on with your journey to ultimate health and well being. Nutrition is one aspect to achieving this and specifically, real food. It can be as simple as that.

Thank you for reading and remember, keep it simple, keep it natural

Brendan Kearney

vibranatural.com

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Mono Eating: What is it and Should I Try it?

So I have been joining various Facebook groups that focus on topics regarding dieting and nutrition which represent different labels, styles and methods of eating. For example, I am in a few vegan and raw food groups as well as natural nutrition groups. What I have seen out of these groups are highly passionate people who live, breath, and believe in what they do. Their approaches to nutrition and dieting vary, but the passion remains similar.

If you have followed me long enough, you know that I focus on being natural as my fundamental approach. This is a very simple approach to apply when dealing with a vegan or raw food group. They all eat natural foods straight from mother nature for the most part. However, some topics get quite complex and far exceed my level of knowledge and understanding for now.

Ways of eating these days tend to be labeled and those who eat a certain way will be labeled one way or another. It’s like a genre of music. And then there are sub genres with eating just like there are with music. Without getting into detail, I want to move forward with the topic of this blog.

The topic of this blog was influenced recently by a discussion from a facebook group that intrigued me. It is known as Mono Eating. Mono eating consists basically of eating just one type of food for a day, a week or even months, but with switching to a new food to focus on each day, week, month etc.

Does this sound crazy or what? How and why would anyone go about eating one type of food for a day like apples or bananas? Wouldn’t you be lacking certain macro and micronutrients or even going overboard with some? This was my outlook on the subject at first glance, but as I let it settle in, I grew rather fond and curious of this type of eating. I wanted to know the why and how to this thing called mono eating.

About Mono Eating and my view on it

The Mono eating diet also shares a similar concept known as the 80/10/10 diet. This means 80% carbs, 10% fat and 10% protein. This is usually in the form of eating strictly fruit and/or starchy carb vegetables because they contain usually more carbs than fat or protein. The ratio can be changed however, in favor for a more balanced ratio which most believe is a better formula for weight loss and over all energy. This also makes me curious as to why and how the mono eating diet and 80/10/10 diet would benefit anyone in any way.

Fruits and vegetables are in favour of the mono eating approach. They resonate with the raw, vegan and/or vegetarian lifestyle. It is believed that mankind, in the early stages, had access to only few types of food, mainly fruits and some vegetables and even a specific food depending on where they lived in the world. If this is the case, they were certainly “mono eating” all the time. They ate whatever was available, since there was no trading or shipping. They would eat like apes with all the berries and bananas they had available and limited to in their dwelling on earth.

Now lets not forget about when mankind discovered meat and began to hunt animals. Our evolution has been shaped over and over through the millenniums, but it has only been until recently over the last few hundred years that trading and shipping was formed. This means variety in food has not been around and exposed to individuals for too long in our evolutionary development.

Are there Benefits to Mono Eating?

Fruits and Vegetables are superficial in the realm of nutrition with an abundance of vitamins and minerals, but the risk of deficiency and/or toxicity can occur when eating one fruit all day for days or weeks.

So what would be so beneficial or even the purpose of such a diet? From what I understand, here are a few of them:

Fasting and Detox

Fruits and vegetables are your number one source for detoxifying the body. They are low in fat and protein, high in fiber, low in calories and full of water. Though they are high in sugar, it’s all natural and sure replaces a caramel latte or a soda.

Fruits and vegetables, when eaten alone, can serve as a “cheat fast”. It’s less filling, but better than eating nothing.

Better Digestion

Eating just one type of food eliminates the confusion for your digestive system, because it only has to focus on one food type. Today, most people eat in the form of variety all the time. We spice, salt, oil and sugar coat just about everything. We eat different food groups all in one meal. We put granola in our yogurt, peanut butter on our bread, berries in our cereal, chicken in our salad and gravy on our potatoes.

Now just think of how many ingredients there are in all the processed food people eat, such as granola, bread and lunch meat. A ham sandwich is far more than just bread and ham. The ingredients that make up the bread and ham add up to many, many different ingredients in which are artificial garbage and the body does not know what to do with them. Our bodies were not designed to digest fake food and so much at once.

Just think, if you had a power saw that was made for cutting wood and you had to cut through wood, metal, tile and glass with just the one blade, you would damage it. You need to cut the wood first and then change the blade to cut metal, glass, or tile, etc. For the record, I pulled that analogy out of my ass, but you get the idea. Our digestive systems work similarly and use different enzymes to adjust for digestion of different food groups. Eating all kinds of food at once can be harmful over time to our digestive health.

To Gain Appreciation for One Food

The mono eating diet may be boring and bland, but I believe there is some value in it to a certain degree. Instead of eating a banana mixed in with oatmeal and chocolate with peanut butter, eat several bananas at once if one doesn’t satisfy you. This way, you will learn to enjoy it on it’s own without being blended in with a bunch of stuff.

I believe we neglect the opportunity to enjoy fruit and other food on their own for the most part and it just makes us want more variety as if we don’t have enough already. So maybe we should learn to go without variety to gain appreciation for food in that mother nature provides us with in isolation.

Process of Elimination

By eating one specific thing for a day, or even a meal, this will give you a better insight into how your body reacts to certain food, since they are in isolation. From there, you can better determine what makes you thrive and what makes you weak.

Now let me reason a little with this concept here. If you eat nothing but strawberries all day, you are going to be eating a whole lot of strawberries to the point where you may run into complications. For example, one serving of strawberries contain roughly our daily intake of vitamin C, so if you want to eat a sustainable amount, you are getting a dangerously high amount of vitamin C and or other things. Plus, you may get sick of whatever you are eating for days alone.

For these matters, I can understand the necessities of indulging in a mono eating diet, but certainly not something I would recommend until I have tried it myself first. Almost all of the food from mother nature has an imbalance of nutrients and therefore, a sustainable mono eating diet may be very hard to find. In fact, it can be downright dangerous if you don’t know what you are doing.

If I were to Try Mono Eating

Now lets do  a nutritional rundown analysis. Assume I try mono eating for one whole week. I eat one specific food each day for seven days. For this approach, I have chosen 7 different foods (5 fruits and 2 vegetables) that I think would be the most feasible to try this out with.

Now to make this type of eating sustainable, I have set a rule of 2000 calories per day. This means each type of food needs to meet the 2000 calorie mark. How interesting this will be with just produce! Here are the 7 foods and their nutritional data along with my outlook.

APPLES

Nutrition Facts:  Serving size: 1 medium apple (154g), 80 calories, 25 apples to reach 2000 calories. Nutrition Data for 25 apples: 0g of fat, 0g of sodium, 4250mg of potassium, 550g of carbs, 125g of fibre, 400g of sugar, 0g of protein, 50% DV of vitamin A, 200% DV of vitamin C, 0% DV of calcium, 50% DV of iron

Apples are missing two macronutrients, fat and protein. This is an issue and unless it’s a cleanse or a “cheat fast” apples would not sustain me for the day. 25 apples give you a high amount of potassium and more than their fair share of fibre. This may be beneficial for some aggressive cleansing, but I am skeptical on the overall intake of sugar. Even though it is natural, I am guessing 400 grams is excessive. Maybe if I ate just one meal consisting of a few apples?

 AVOCADOS

Nutrition Facts: Serving size: ½ avocado (75g), 140 calories, 14 servings (8 medium avocados) to reach 2000 calories. Nutrition Data for 8 medium avocados: 182g of fat, 6020mg of potassium, 112g of carbs, 112g of fibre, 14g of sugar, 42g of protein, 28% DV of vitamin A, 140% DV of vitamin C, 14% DV of calcium, 35% DV of iron       

The ultimate fat fruit is also very low in sugar and since they are high in calories, less of them are needed. Only 8 avocados to fill you for the day and the total carb count is remarkable! Very suitable for a low carb diet, but not too extreme. You also get a good amount of vitamin C. Since they are also high in potassium, you double your intake for the day. For this matter, balancing it out with some sodium is a good idea. That’s not cheating right?

Check out the protein figure. 42 grams of protein, not bad from just fruit! Overall, this is definitely something I feel more comfortable with than apples.

 BANANAS

Nutrition facts: Serving size: 1 medium banana (118g), 105 calories, 20 servings to reach 2000 calories. Nutrition Data for 20 bananas: 0g of fat, 20mg of sodium, 8440mg of potassium, 540g of carbs, 60g of fibre, 280g of sugar, 25g of protein, 40% DV of vitamin A, 340% DV of vitamin C, 20% DV of calcium, 40% DV of iron

Bananas contain less potassium than avocados but require more to reach the 2000 calorie quota. Nearly triple the standard for daily potassium intake is reached along with a ton of carbs! Surprisingly, the sugar amount is not as high as I thought. You even get some protein out of the bananas for the day and a solid amount of fibre. Maybe more than necessary, but shouldn’t be harmful. You even get a triple dose of vitamin C for the day! Definitely an energy food with lots of electrolytes. Add some sea salt to balance out the charge!

BLUEBERRIES

Nutrition Facts: Serving size: 1 cup (148g), 84 calories, 24 servings to reach 2000 calories. Nutrition Data for 24 servings: 0g of fat, 24mg of sodium, 504g of carbs, 96g of fibre, 360g of sugar, 24g of protein, 48% DV of vitamin A, 576% DV of vitamin C, 24% DV of calcium, 48% DV of iron

Using 1 cup as a serving, my daily caloric intake would be reached with 24 cups. That is roughly 7 pounds of blueberries for the day. For some reason, I think I would enjoy eating this many. I could eat them all day like a gorilla! Though they must be organic. Now the problem is that there are some nutrient imbalances with this amount. 0 grams of fat, very low sodium, very high carbohydrates and sugar. The fibre intake seems to be dangerously high, along with the vitamin C. Blueberries are also very rich in antioxidants though, and vitamin C acts as an antioxidant so I will consider blueberries for the mono trial.

 STRAWBERRIES

Nutrition Facts: Serving size: 1 cup (140g), 50 calories, 40 servings to reach 2000 calories. Nutrition Data for 40 servings: 20g of fat, 0g of sodium, 400g of carbs, 120g of fibre, 280g of sugar, 40g of protein, 0% DV of vitamin A, 4000% DV of vitamin C, 80% DV of calcium, 160% DV of iron

According to a similar serving size as blueberries, strawberries have less calories. This is a surprise to me since strawberries tend to have more fat and protein. Makes me wonder where all the calories are coming from in blueberries. And to equal the amount of 2000 calories, it requires 12 pounds of strawberries! That is roughly $60 worth of strawberries since I buy them organic. A regular serving of strawberries alone reaches your daily intake of vitamin C, with 40 servings (too meet quota) you are getting 40 times your daily recommendation of vitamin C! If there is a safe limit for this vitamin, I am sure we would reach the level of toxicity on this one! You actually get a fair amount of calcium and iron though, which is hard to get from fruit.

 BROCCOLI

Nutrition Facts: Serving size: 1 stalk (151g), 51 calories, 40 servings to reach 2000 calories. Nutrition Data for 40 broccoli stalks: 40g of fat, 2000mg of sodium, 400g of carbs, 160g of fibre, 120g of sugar, 160g of protein, 760% DV of vitamin A, 8960% DV of vitamin C, 280% DV of calcium, 240% DV of iron

A prime example of green power right here! I just had to nominate broccoli for the mono eating trial. It is high in all sorts of vitamins and minerals, very alkaline, and even tallies up some impressive macronutrient figures! But could the massive quantity cancel out the quality time with broccoli for the day?

With one stalk as a serving size at only 51 calories, you need 40 servings and with that, comes with some serious numbers. Very high amounts of fibre and vitamin C, in fact, nearly 90 times your daily intake of vitamin C. This is rather not a surprise to me with the quantity, but what really stands out is how we end up with 40 of fat, 120g of sugar, and 160g of protein! That is astounding. That much protein along with calcium at nearly 3 times your RDA, from a more bioavailable source than dairy and meat! You also get lots of iron.

The sodium level is about perfect for the day. 1mg of sodium per calorie, but the overall sugar amount is very surprising. It adds up. High amounts of vitamin A are also important, since we lack it in much of our food. Broccoli has it all!

CARROTS

Nutrition Facts: Serving size: 1 medium carrot (61g), 25 calories, 80 carrots to reach 2000 calories. Nutrition Data for 80 carrots: 0g of fat, 3360mg of sodium, 480g of carbs, 160g of fibre, 240g of sugar, 80g of protein, 16320% DV of vitamin A, 480% DV of vitamin C, 160% DV of calcium, 80% DV of iron

Another great snack, along with broccoli, carrots are notorious for improving eyesight right? That myth would be due to the sheer abundance of vitamin A. One medium carrot contains roughly double of your daily required intake of the vitamin. Now we need 80 carrots to meet quota with our calorie intake for the day, so how much vitamin A are we talking? About 160 times your recommended daily intake! Now if my eyesight doesn’t improve after a day of eating this many carrots, I will be greatly disappointed!

No need to add salt to the orange sticks. 80 carrots a day will do you just fine if you compare it to the typical Western diet, which I don’t recommend basing that rule off of. You also get 480 grams of starchy carbs with half of it coming from sugar. Also, you get a fair amount of protein for the day. 1 gram per carrot! Calcium and iron are also on par, but the vitamin C intake may be a little too high. Dip some carrots in a whole, plain yogurt or oil for added fat and away you go!

Conclusion

Judging by the figures that I discovered with these 7 foods, I think broccoli comes out on top. It has the most stable nutrition profile, and aside from the insanely high vitamin C content, I think it would be the most promising to undergo a whole day of just one food.

Avocados are right up there as well. They are low in sugar, carbs, and are very alkaline like broccoli. If your not afraid of all of the extra fat, this would be an excellent choice to leave you with for a day.

What I would really like to do instead of going sheer mono for one day is take these 7 foods and have one whole meal of each for the day. This way, I will avoid toxicity or deficiency of any vitamin or mineral and get an adequate amount from a variety of thriving foods. I know this is technically not mono eating, but I think it is a safe and fun thing to try. I will have to research more on vitamin and mineral deficiency and toxicity before I try an actual day of eating just one of these 7 foods.

There are also many other vitamins and minerals in these 7 foods not listed that I have to consider as well.

Your Thoughts

I would like to know your thoughts and suggestions on this topic as well as what type of food would you go with if you had to pick something specific for the day. Your input can also help me base a more informed decision on this.

Thank you for reading and share away your comments!

 

Brendan Kearney

Vibranatural

http://www.vibranatural.com

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What it Means to Over Eat

When it comes to food, just about any normal human being on earth can attest to the fact that eating is enjoyable, whether you spend hours each week cooking and preparing meals or going out to enjoy a fancy restaurant, you have a great meal to look forward to.

If you practice willpower and do your deed to earn that delicious, filling and nutritious meal, you are essentially making your meal more enjoyable with the anticipation, making it all the more satisfying.

For example, lets say you set aside your prepared protein smoothie as a post workout meal for some intense exercise. Or you decide to devote several hours of focus on work or a project or a business plan. The act of productivity sets the value for the upcoming meal that will be much more enjoyable when you have your tasks accomplished for the day.

This is, without a doubt, the best way to enjoy food. You earn the right to nourish your body and satisfy your hunger with something nutritious and sustainable. This could be a chicken salad or a protein smoothie amongst many things. Whatever suits your best self.

THE DARK SIDE OF OVER EATING

Things can get a little out of hand when you over consume and abuse eating. Now I am not saying this relative to abusing a drug, but it does involve a similar compensating behaviour. When you over indulge, you are practicing a dependency for food and in a way, compensating for something. Consider this next time you decide to munch out hard. If you are health-conscious, you will pick up on this easier.

For people who binge drink and then order a whole pizza on a regular basis, they have their own set of problems. But then again, this is a lifestyle that people choose to indulge in. But for those who are health conscious like me, will feel guilty just eating a restaurant meal that is not the healthiest option on the menu. This is good because we are aware of our habits and what we eat can interfere with the benefits of our practice.

Back on topic though with over eating. Over eating in general is unhealthy, not just for our bodies, but also, it degrades our psychology. As I mentioned, it could be something that goes unnoticed especially when you are not paying attention to it over time. Over indulging could be one’s way of compensating for what is lacking. It could be one’s way of escaping something. Surely it’s better than abusing alcohol or drugs, but overall, the habits of over eating are carried out from similar motives.

As a quick side note, if you are in the market for gaining muscle mass, more food will definitely serve you on your way. So unless you are trying to put on mass, you should avoid overeating, and even then, I believe a weight lifter looking to gain weight should not remain on such a high calorie diet for the long term. However, we will leave the debate on gaining mass for the avids in this area for now.

Aside from a dependency issue with food, there are other factors that will contribute eating disorders or over-eating and sugar cravings and they are mineral deficiencies. Mineral deficiencies are far more prominent in today’s world because of the degraded soil in which nature’s food is grown from. The soil is not full of the minerals that it once was and therefore, the foods that are grown from it contain far less minerals and other nutrients that our bodies need to function optimally. This is not to say that fruits and vegetables are no good, but they just do not contain the nutritional value that they once did.

Many of the minerals that we need to absorb certain vitamins are missing in our diets, and therefore, causing food cravings that can lead to obesity and other health issues.

An avid health food consumer can have the same issue with over eating as someone who stuff themselves with desserts, pizza and wings. This is likely the result of a mineral deficiency or a dependency issue that is used to compensate for what is lacking.

Alcohol does devoid in minerals and vitamins. This means it actually takes away the valuable nutrients that you may get from food. For this reason, more food rich in vitamins, minerals and nutrients are required or the addition of multivitamins and/or whole food supplements.

COMFORT FOOD

The standard American diet consists of an array of “comfort” foods. This of course being fast food, fried food, and restaurant dishes for the most part. It is also in the form of highly processed food that is loaded with artificial ingredients and preservatives.

The typical comfort foods are high calorie, low nutrient quality foods, which leave you with no energy and are a major contributor to obesity in modern society. The lack of vitamins and minerals do not make up for the empty calories.

The term “comfort food” resonates with what many of those seek and I believe that it is by a form of dependancy or compensation. But then again, many people enjoy their lives and binge out on comfort food all the time, so I can’t really judge one’s lifestyle.  I think willpower is a lifestyle in itself. It’s all about what you can go without and only indulge in when necessary.

In my recent write-up about monosodium glutamate, I talked about how it is in most restaurant and fast food. It is added to food to enhance the taste. More so, it fools your brain into thinking the food is great and therefore, you don’t feel satiety and you eat way more of the food than you should in one serving.

EAT MORE NATURAL FOOD TO FEEL FULLER

This is why it is important to eat food that is closer to what nature provides. This way, you avoid or minimize the consumption of MSG and artificially flavoured. MSG and much of the artificial ingredients will block your body’s ability to absorb essential minerals including the ones that keep satiety in check. With whole, natural and single ingredient foods, you are greatly reducing this issue. The raw almonds may not taste like the chocolate-coated ones, but you will be better off this way.

Then again, you may still be lacking vitamins and minerals, so a whole food supplement or a multivitamin may be necessary. I would suggest a whole food supplement over multivitamins because they are a complete meal in of itself and provide the essential nutrients, vitamins and minerals in a balanced proportion that is difficult to get out of most food available today. Garden of Life, Vega, and Amazing Grass are companies that make top quality food supplement powders. Avoid whole food supplements that have artificial sweeteners , bindings and textures though.

WHEN TO STOP EATING

The best way to determine how much you should be eating is by monitoring how you feel when you eat, what you eat, and how much. Ideally, you should be eating every 3 or 4 hours, assuming they are sustainable meals and not just snacks. You should also not eat close to bedtime either. A whole meal with heavy foods like meat will usually need 3 hours to digest.

Take your time eating and pay attention to how your body is responding. If you eat too fast, you will likely not notice how full you are getting until it is too late. Ideally, you want to eat until you are ¾ full. Don’t fill yourself to the rim. This is hard on your digestive system and takes more energy to digest the food than the energy you get from it. It’s a balance game and you need to aim for that spot where you feel the best. Not when you have had enough. It will be too late by then. This is a strategy that will benefit you in many ways like having more energy instead of less and avoid insulin spikes and digestive issues. This is a great strategy to apply for those who want to remain productive as well because it will keep you in a better cognitive state. Too much food at once usually puts you in a brain fog.

Eating until you are close to being full is good practice for your will power regardless of what you eat. This is also a practice for better decision-making when it comes to bigger life choices and issues.

Remember, keep it simple and keep it natural. The more nutrient-dense calories you consume while avoiding artificial ingredients, the higher your energy, immunity, and mental acuity will be. It is also key to vibrance and longevity.

 

Brendan Kearney

Vibranatural

Vibranatural Supplement Store

Vibranatural on Facebook

Vibranatural on Twitter

 

Healthy Eating, Productivity and Budgeting

I am writing this blog in reference to a current lifestyle shift I made due to financial troubles and are somewhat compromising. I am going to share with you how I deal with them.

Due to my current financial situation, I have moved back home to work doing roofing construction, which is a job I have done for years in the past. I felt it was appropriate for my situation with money because I need something reliable and steady that I can depend on for decent income for the time being until I get back on my feet again.

This is not the kind of work I desire to do for life, nor is living at home at my age, but sometimes we have to fall back to move further ahead. plus, it’s only temporary.

So I want to talk about a few sacrifices that I have planned to make in order to increase the amount of leftover money I have each week.

These 2 sacrifices are of great value to me and so I can only cut back to a certain degree to make room for financial improvements. I am also going to talk about why these things are of such value to me.

My Level of Healthy Eating

The first thing I will be cutting back on is grocery expenses. This is big for me because I am very accustomed to eating highly nutritious and healthy natural foods. I have become aware of such benefits of eating natural whole foods and healthy food supplements.

For one, I am more productive and feel better, sharper and have better mental clarity. My vibrations are higher as I feel I can take on bigger tasks and projects with confidence and conviction. Also, it is important that as a natural health food advocate building a business online, I practice what I preach.

Second, I feel better body-wise. I am more energetic, flexible and less achy. This is vitally important for the rigorous work as a roofer full time as well as the martial arts training and strength conditioning that I do. I sacrificed working hours while living in Ottawa in devotion to my training to reach black belt level in karate.

When I came home, I was hesitant on eating dinner and other food around the house because it was not up to my standards of “real food”. Not to be an asshole, I have just built a level of contrast between conventional processed food and quality natural organic food. I value such food for the state it puts me in. I know the regular Joe would just eat whatever is available to save money. Then again, I can’t just eat all of my parent’s food, so I am more than happy to shop for my own here and there.

I value my nutrition too because I can sustain a level of proficiency at my “JOB job” and building an online business after hours. When I eat pizza, chicken fingers, fries or Chinese food, etc. I can just feel the life force in me being ambushed.

Most people will stuff themselves with pizza, hot wings and beer all summer, after work and all weekend as their form of enjoyment. For me, I cannot succumb to this for the most part. Not to say that I am superior to these people, but it’s just important that I stick to my guns and pursue excellence and avoid things that put you in an unproductive state. I am sure any health-conscious person can relate to this.

Handling the Change

So how do I handle this change while I am on a budget? Well first off, I eat clean and healthy for the most part, from breakfast before work up until after finishing work around 4 or 5pm. If it has been a long day, I will treat myself to whatever is served at dinner and maybe a glass of wine. If I have something important to do like kick ass in karate, I will fuel up on a nutritious meal that is not too filling. I can’t have too much caffeine because I will be up all night.

My mother does have healthy food around the house so it really helps when I can snag some fruit, berries and some greens here and there haha!

Overall, I plan to save about $150 a month on groceries or even $50 a month. This would cut my monthly grocery bill in half. Not bad especially when I can still get away with eating generally quite healthy.

After long hours of work in the sun, it is sometimes best to just take a break from all of my hard work in pursuing goals and let myself recover.

At this point in my life I have come to value the security and comfort of having a steady income, so in a way I am better able to relax, but at the same time, I don’t want my desires to diminish. I value my individuality and uniqueness. As a practitioner of martial arts and body strength conditioning and also building an online business, a diet high in nutrient quality is crucial to my ability to carry out such missions. The physical arts and nutrition resonate with one-another. It keeps me in harmony and provides inner abundance that no amount of money can provide.

So my message to you today is that there is no shame in starting over. Think of it as building muscle. You work your muscles to the max and the tissue and fibres tear down. This stage is necessary for the rebuilding of the muscles to grow and strengthen.

When a situation calls for a sacrifice, identify and determine the impact of what you are planning to sacrifice. In most cases, it’s not as bad as you may think once you get settled in to the change. Just don’t throw away the things that give you the most pleasure and fulfillment. The things that make you whole and complete. The things set you on a vibration that matches your ideal being. You know what these things are and it is your gift to the world. You don’t want to neglect that.

Stick to your guns and focus more on building rather than sacrificing. Build from within and not from outsources. Live with less and feel fuller. I believe your health and nutrition keys in at the top of your priorities for overall success in life. Even if you are in a serious financial rut, don’t succumb to super cheap artificial foods. Your vibrations will be weak and you will struggle achieve true success from your own creative ability. Some may think that is ridiculous, but healthy eating and living becomes a part of you, so neglecting it after so long can have a negative impact.

You owe it to yourself to nourish your body and mind, to stay strong and sharp. Your vibrations will rise and put you in a better position to excel financially, spiritually and healthfully. Certainly a more rewarding route to go in the long run.

The power is in your hands and you can overcome any obstacle or setback when you eat whole, natural and nutritious food.

 

Brendan Kearney

Vibranatural

Vibranatural Health Food Supplements

Vibranatural Facebook 

Vibranatural Twitter 

 

MSG and your Deadly Tasteful Dish

As an avid health food consumer, I have developed quite a contrast in the spectrum of food overall. What I mean is that when I eat cheap processed food or restaurant meals (which is rare), I can’t help but notice the abundance of flavour.

I have grown quite fond of naturally aspired food over the years but when I go back to fast served or restaurant food, I can’t help but notice how potent the flavour is. It’s really a little out of hand from my perspective now.

Most people enjoy such foods, which is normal, but I sense the danger of such flavour. No ordinary food that comes from mother nature has that much of an impact on taste buds and there is a reason for that. These fast foods and restaurant dishes are most certainly modified and laced with something that does not belong in the human body.

The hidden ingredient is non other than MSG, (monosodium glutamate) and is the backbone to enhancing flavour in fast food and restaurant dishes along with many, many packaged foods in grocery stores.

MSG was discovered and founded by the Japanese about 100 years ago. They were the first suppliers of monosodium glutamate and they used it as a flavour and texture enhancer for the low quality food. Today, this one of the main practices amongst food suppliers.

That 8 oz steak or chicken salad dish is likely of low grade quality disguised as top of the line beef or chicken. And yes, MSG is the deadly mask of the coverup.

DANGERS OF MSG

Monosodium Glutamate makes you crave the food like a drug. Ever wonder why you can pig out at a chinese buffet for an hour before you are even full? The food is really not that good. MSG actually blocks the signal from leptin, a hormone in the brain that signals satiety. It also makes you “think” the food is actually “that good”. Just like how beer goggles and the influence of alcohol make you think you are dancing with a princess. The MSG-laced food, however, is nothing more than cheap quality food that really has no flavour like a top grade quality untampered food would.

MSG is harmful in many ways that have been demonstrated and tested in labs and symptoms can be profound. MSG is an excitotoxin that causes cell damage in the body and brain. Many known health affects have been reported in linkage to MSG toxicity such as obesity, eye damage, headaches, fatigue, disorientation and depression. There is no doubt that MSG is also a major contributor to alzheimers disease.

Even the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) reports various symptoms of MSG toxicity yet they deem it as “safe”. Never take the FDA’s word for any approval of a food product or supplement.

ALL ABOUT MONEY

So why can’t they just use real quality food that actually has the flavour and texture that we are all so accustomed to? Because it’s a lot cheaper for the food supplier and industry and thus, cheaper for the restaurants to serve and everybody profits.

Those who control the food supply are in it for the money and not concerned about your health. Heck, it keeps the doctors and pharmaceutical industry in business.

MSG IN DISGUISE

MSG is everywhere, from various canned and packaged goods, drinks and in fast food and fancy restaurants. What is really scary is that there is no direct indicator of MGS or monosodium glutamate on ingredient labels today. Food companies have realized that more people are becoming health-conscious and aware of the dangers of MSG. So what do these major companies and suppliers do? They disguise the name with other ingredients that contain MSG, whether directly or developed through processing. This makes determining the presence of MSG almost undetectable.

Some ingredients that you may want to watch out for which have the possibility of containing MSG are:

• glutamic acid
• gelatin
• anything hydrolyzed or autolyzed
• anything modified or textured
• sodium caseinate
• calcium caseinate
• yeast extract
• anything with the word “flavour” or “flavouring”
• stock
• soy sauce
• broth
• carrageenan (watch for it in almond milk)
• anything ultra pasteurized
• soy protein isolate
• malt extract
• maltodextrin

HOW TO AVOID MSG AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE

So how do we avoid MSG toxicity when it is in all sorts of food products hidden under a secondary name? I will provide you with a few tips on how to best avoid consuming MSG on a regular basis.

Become a master of reading ingredient labels. When you discover the sidekick name to monosodium glutamate, you have more power in your choice of food. It may be a tedious task, but it is necessary especially if you are health-conscious, in which case it is your deed to pave the way for your future health and well being.

Avoid restaurants and fast food joints as much as possible. If you are health conscious enough already, you likely browse the menu for a long time to pick out the healthiest option. This is almost impossible unless you happen to get them to serve your food without MSG (which may tick off the staff, but it’s for the interest of your health). For those who eat out frequently, you have some boundaries to lay down. Eat out less.

Avoid gourmet and fresh food deli in grocery stores. They appear healthy and fresh, but without a doubt, contain MSG one way or another. These ready-to-go meals never taste that good on their own merits. Just look at the ingredient label on the back of sushi. There are a ridiculous amount of foul ingredients which is a sheer sign of bad news.

Check out the pre-packaged egg and/or potato salad. After reading those ridiculous ingredients, it’s basically not even egg or potato salad anymore. Its just a bunch of modified nonsense. Look at hummus and other dips. How many added ingredients do you see? That will tell you whether to pick it up or put it back on the shelf.

Try some Red Clover. According to a source I have listed at the bottom, Red Clover actually blocks much of the cell damage that MSG creates. I am not sure about this one but it sounds very appealing. You could take a Red clover supplement before dining out or being invited to a dinner and you are covered!

Eat natural whole foods fresh from the earth. Eat fresh produce, nuts and seeds as well as legumes. Watch out for those nuts and trail mixes coated with modified oils and sugars though. You also want to eat more organically or locally.

MSG is the secret ingredient that food suppliers and major companies use because of it’s cheapness and effectiveness. it keeps the masses illiterate. It surely works out to their favour in maintaining control over the general world population.

For those, however that become aware of this controlled chaos may choose to speak out and move away from the herd that is in custody of their minds and feeling unable to make a difference. Those who become aware and desire to defend their health, happiness and freedom will be the ones who can make a difference in their health and impact the lives of many others.

For I see the totality of this sickness amongst the masses who are blinded into corporate control, I refuse to accept it as permanent. I will continue to provide such content, whether good or bad for my desire to share with the world and make it a healthier place. As long as you are willing to make a difference, you deserve it.

Thank you for reading and I will see you on the healthier side

Brendan K

Vibranatural,

https://www.facebook.com/vibranaturalfit (like page)

Sources:

http://goo.gl/UJvI1

http://goo.gl/uWgJYd

http://foodmatters.tv/articles-1/the-dangers-of-msg

 

 

Restoring Your Faith in the Natural Food Movement

After several months of consistent blogging and building of the Vibranatural brand, I have discovered the core of what I present. Not that I had no idea before, but I have came to realize that I do more than just promote natural foods and supplements through an online store.

Through my seeking of knowledge and growth in the natural food movement, I have found myself undergoing a process of elimination of “natural” foods and supplements. These are products that are found unworthy of natural labelling, but still make it to the market.

Here at Vibranatural, it is my job and desire to scope out the true nature of food, whether it’s canned, packaged, or in supplement form and determine it’s worthiness of an all natural label. Every product that I list on vibranatural.com goes through my inspection and from there, I determine which products get featured on the website. I do not just throw products up on the site that are just merely a marketing gimmick for being all natural. I go beyond that for the consumer’s interest and to gain trust. It is my job to provide customers with quality products and restore their faith in the Natural food market.

For those who are a little more health savvy and look beyond just a label that markets “natural” the resources are becoming available through the growth and expansion of my service.

Marketing hype does not fool many of us after a while and it’s no longer enough to convince the health savvy consumer. There are far too many companies out there who cut corners and use fancy Natural labels to disguise the flaws.

REVEALING THE FLAWS

I have come across a wicked amount of “natural knock-offs” over the internet. I also run into such products in grocery stores , fitness shops, and even Natural Health Food stores.

I think too many people give away their trust in companies who provide natural gimmicks and don’t bother to go deeper to inspect. If you are truly passionate about your health, you will certainly be one of those who do your homework. There are many great reputable and trustworthy companies out there who provide real quality products, but often times, they get blended in with the collage of cheap knock-offs.

To get you started on the right foot, I will give you 3 tips for identifying a real authentic natural food product.

1: READ THE INGREDIENT LABELS

This is the first step in determining a real natural food or supplement. Check the ingredient label for artificial ingredients. It may be hard to determine what ingredients are natural and artificial, but you generally want to avoid products containing complex sounding ingredients as this is a good indicator in determining if it is artificial. Here are examples of these ingredients:

aspartame, aspartic acid, aceulfame potassium, erythritol, dissodium EDTA, maltodextrin, sucralose, sodium chloride, monosodium glutamate (MSG), glutamic acid, glutamate, high fructose corn syrup, caramel colour, sodium benzoate 

These are some of the faulty ingredients that can appear in “natural” food products, so watch out for them. These are also amongst the most unhealthy. These ingredients show up on many packaged foods, nutrition bars, trail mixes, protein powders, sports drinks, cereals, and canned goods.

Instead , opt for ingredients that resemble an actual food. Here is an example list of natural ingredients:

almonds, almond butter, dates, date paste, organic cocoa, sunflower seeds, flaxseeds,  sea salt, cane sugar, raw honey, agave nectar, buckwheat, spelt, kumalt, vanilla extract, stevia, cranberries, oats, hemp seeds

2: KNOWING WHAT THE INGREDIENTS ARE

This step is a little more advanced and requires some more knowledge, but over time it will become easier and actually less of a burden.

Many of the simple names you come across are actually unhealthy even if they are derived from a natural source. This is where quality is considered. Here are some example ingredients that are actually unhealthy:

soya oil, soybean oil, canola oil, vegetable oil, sugar (unspecified), corn starch, corn syrup, gluten, wheat, wheat starch, corn oil, natural flavour, yeast extract, soy protein (GMO) yeast food, soy sauce, malt extract, rice meal, chocolate flavour, milk ingredients, enriched wheat flour, wheat flour, anything with the word modified

There are also some artificial sounding names that are actually healthy, so if you see them listed as an ingredient, don’t worry:

guar gum, xantium gum, tapioca starch, sillicon dioxide (silica), inulin, xylitol, soy lecithin (in moderation)

You also want to opt for organic products whenever you buy natural. Although they don’t have to be organic all the time, it is a good indicator of a healthy all natural product because it means less ingredients to substitute for flavour or texture that are otherwise unhealthy and poor quality.

Now I have been just as gullible as you may have. I used to take the fancy label’s word for it and assume that the ingredients listed on the back were all natural. It’s easier that way, but the more you learn, the more your realize how much you are being fooled.

3: PROCESSING METHODS

At this stage we are determining how raw and close to nature a food product remains. While there is a lot of controversy and debate in this area, I will leave you with the basics of what to look for.

Cold processed means that heat was not involved in the processing of the food and therefore, remains closer to a raw form and the nutrients remain intact. This is also important when considering a product that uses many different oils.

Many companies use high heat processing and this causes the ingredients to bind together in a way that makes it harder to absorb in the body. Nutrient quality is also lost after a certain temperature with most food ingredients, so it’s questioned whether you are really getting the amount of protein, carbs, fat, etc. that is stated on the nutrition label.

Many protein powders and bars use high heat processing. It is always best to seek out a protein powder or bar that states ‘cold processed’ so you know it’s closer to nature. You may also have to do your research. Look up the companies processing methods if accessible and/or read up on the internet.

 

You also want to avoid items that are refined. This is usually indicated on the label. In most cases, refining involves some sort of modification to the ingredients and it is hard to tell what the purpose is behind it. In some cases it can be beneficial as well as heat processing, but in general, it denatures the quality. Anything that is refined, denatured, processed, enriched or modified usually means that the end result of the product is not as good as what it is set out to be. You will see indicators of this by the price as they tend to be cheaper. However, if you want true quality, you will always pay a little more.

My objective with Vibranatural is to carry out the mission of uncovering the natural market hype and to serve those who take their health and nutrition a little more seriously. Those who are passionate in this area, will find that it’s not really a burden, but rather enjoyable to grow with knowledge and mature in the field of natural nutrition. A way that will take your heath and fitness to the next level. 

Restoring you faith in the natural food movement

Brendan K

http://www.vibranatural.com

https://www.facebook.com/vibranaturalfit

https://twitter.com/Vibranatural1

 

 

 

Anti-Inflammatory Food for Muscle Recovery

In my previous blog entry, Inflammation and Muscle Recovery, I discussed the concept of inflammation and how it plays a vital role in our bodies from muscle and joint pain and mobility, our immune system and over health and longevity. More specifically, how it relates to athletic performance and our ability to recover. I spoke about how many of the foods we are lead to believe that fuel the body for exercise and sports can cause inflammation.

Today, I want to talk about combating inflammation with foods that will support your body’s ability to recover efficiently. Keep in mind that most of these foods fight inflammation one way or another, so you are really doing your body justice. So let’s carry on with my list of top 10 anti-inflammatory foods to boost your recovery and athletic performance.

1: WILD ALASKAN SALMON AND SARDINES

I listed these two together because they are very similar in nutrition and everything else. They both accumulate high Omega 3 from their feed in the ocean, lakes and rivers.

Most Westerners get far too much Omega 6 and not enough omega 3. This great imbalance causes inflammation so increasing Omega 3 and reducing inflammatory omega 6 from fried greasy fats cooked in bad oils will greatly help reduce inflammation that is linked to obesity, heart disease and cancer. Both are also high in vitamin D.

Eat oily fish like salmon and sardines 2 of 3 times a week to obtain benefits and reduce red meat consumption. Fish oil is also a great Omega 3 supplement if you are a vegetarian or don’t eat much fish. Tuna is good on occasion, but contains higher mercury than salmon and sardines.

Do not buy farmed fish! Make sure it is wild caught because farmed fish are put in water pens where they are fed an unnatural diet. This leaves them with far more Omega 6 fats and not enough Omega 3 fats making them highly inflammatory and even toxic in the body.

Wild caught salmon and sardines contain lower amounts of mercury than their bottom feeder counterparts. They also contain selenium, an antioxidant which rejects mercury from settling in the body.

Also, try to steer clear of flavoured sardines that are loaded with modified oils and maltodextrin, etc.

2: BERRIES

Berries in general carry an abundance of antioxidants which destroy Free Radicals. These antioxidants support anti-aging and I would recommend you indulge in a variety of different berries. Raspberries, strawberries, blueberries and blackberries are amongst the more popular and available berries in North America.

Blueberries are known to have a higher ORAC score score (a measure of antioxidants) than their sibling berries. Acai berries have been known to be the ultimate anti-aging superfruit.

3: GREEN VEGETABLES

Greens in general have anti-inflammatory benefits. Dark leafy greens like kale, spinach and collard greens have calcium, magnesium, iron and potassium and B vitamins. Kale is very rich in vitamin K which supports blood flow and helps prevent blood clotting. Dark green vegetables like broccoli have phytochemicals which fight inflammation.

These are the most alkaline forming foods and make it difficult for disease to reside and sprout in the body. Cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and cauliflower contain sulphur which helps the body produce antioxidants.

4: SWEET POTATO

Sweet potatoes are full of vitamin C which acts as an antioxidant and boosts immunity. They also contain high amounts of potassium, B6, manganese, copper and beta-carotene, which is a pigment that gives the potatoes their colour. Sweet potatoes are lower in calories and contain far more nutrients than white and other potatoes. They are also lower glycemic, which release energy at a steadier rate.

For best nutritional results, steaming and boiling are the better options. Frying these potatoes will make them more inflammatory because of the high temperatures. However, stir frying at a lower temperature of 200 degrees fahrenheit seems to enhance the bioavailability of beta-carotene, which holds many of the antioxidants.

5: ALMONDS AND WALNUTS

Most nuts provide many health benefits, but almonds and walnuts specifically have higher qualities when it comes to fighting inflammation. Almonds are rich in calcium and vitamin E which plays a valuable role as as an antioxidant that supports the immune system and healthy skin.

Both almonds and walnuts contain heart-healthy Omega fats and are calorie-dense to fuel the body in a healthy way. Walnuts are especially high in alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), which is an essential Omega 3 fatty acid. ALA supplements have been used to treat rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

When buying almonds, walnuts, or any nut or seed for that matter, always opt for the raw versions that only contain the ingredient itself. Sea salt is okay, but you want to avoid packaged nuts and trail mixes that have refined vegetable oils and soybean oils added.

6: AVOCADO

Avocados are native to Mexico and contain an abundance of brain and heart-healthy fats. Don’t let the fat content scare you off. Avocados are known to speed up your metabolism and aid in burning fat. The monounsaturated fat has been linked to preventing heart disease. They also contain carotenoids that reduce inflammation.

avocados are certainly a great addition to your diet and will benefit everybody that doesn’t have some odd sensitivity toward them, in which is rare. They are excellent for adding in smoothies and salads as well as being used as a spread instead of mayonnaise.

Avocados contain double the amount of potassium of a banana and are a great source of vitamin C, E and K. They are calorie rich and are an excellent source of fuel for the body that won’t compromise exercise recovery, but rather support it.

7: TART CHERRIES

According to Oregon Health & Science University researchers, tart cherries (aka, sour cherries) have the highest anti-inflammatory rating of any food on the planet. It has been shown to reduce inflammation and enhance athletic performance. It has been noticeable to participants of studies showing that tart cherries act as an anti-inflammatory pain killer pill but without the long term negative effects. (article linked in sources)

Anyone who trains hard on a regular basis will likely notice reduced muscle soreness when consuming tart cherries on a regular basis. The anti-inflammatory effects support muscle endurance and reduce fatigue during long intense exercise. A noticeable improvement in joint pain and and arthritis are evident amongst users.

I have heard that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of the United States wanted researchers to stop publishing articles claiming the healing benefits tart cherries have alike with pain killers such as Ibuprofen and Aleve. Sounds like they just want to regain control of their profits in the pharmaceutical industry.

I have been eating tart cherries lately and they are tremendous. They have to be tart though. Sweet cherries don’t have the same effect.

8: BEETS

Beets, along with beet root juice, have been shown to reduce inflammation in the body and protect against cancer and other diseases. Beets have also been shown to enhance exercise endurance due the their nitrates. Naturally occurring nitrates have been shown to widen the blood vessels, allowing for more blood and oxygen to flow freely.

Raw beets and beet juice contain betaine, an anti-inflammatory that helps slow aging. They are also high in vitamin C, which boosts immunity. They are also a rich source of potassium and manganese.

9: GARLIC

Garlic is known for it’s immune-boosting properties, but it also has an interesting effect similar to a prescription pain killer. Garlic has been shown to work similar to anti-inflammatory pain killers by shutting off the pathways that lead to inflammation. And since it is an immune booster, it’s a win-win when you eat more garlic instead of taking pain medications.

It is also known to boost testosterone levels in men, which makes it all the more merrier. Add some mint leaves to your garlic to cover up the breath for that important date.

10: TURMERIC

A food spice that keeps popping up in lists of anti-inflammatory foods is turmeric. This hype lead me to discover what is so beneficial about it. I never use turmeric, but I am intrigued by the benefits.

Turmeric, like garlic, acts as a natural pain killer. It helps the body turn off a protein in the brain called NF kappa B, which regulates the immune system and triggers inflammation.

This native Indian spice is used in currie and other Indian cuisine. It has been used for centuries to treat wounds, infections, colds and liver disease. People have reported reduced joint pain and improvement in their arthritis.

I may have to try turmeric with some quinoa and whole grain brown rice!

There is no doubt that as we reach our 30’s and later years, inflammation will be more prevalent. It should be in our best interest to eat more anti-inflammatory foods to slow the clocks and keep us fit for what we enjoy doing in life. The anti-inflammatory diet approach may not be as sexy as other fad diets in the weight loss or muscle building department, but overall, you will likely lose weight in the process anyway. 

A diet full of anti-inflammatory foods with the reduction of inflammatory foods may just be your ticket to the overall health and longevity. Now that’s sexy in the long run!

Thank you for reading and we will see you on the healthier, fitter side!

Brendan K,

Vibranatural
Vibranatural Facebook
Vibranatural Twitter

Sources:
http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20705881,00.html
http://goo.gl/5BK7M
http://goo.gl/tC0Tmh
http://goo.gl/8m7Jgm
http://foodmatters.tv/articles-1/7-reasons-to-love-beets-1

 

 

 

Inflammation and Muscle Recovery

When it comes  to athletic performance, 2 major departments of interest come to mind. They are energy’ and ‘recovery’. We all loathe for more energy to blast through our workouts and training sessions. We also want to recover quickly and have fresh legs and arms to go back out and beat down our muscles again in the process of our training regimen.

Now there are many supplements on the market that focus on the 2 departments, energy and recovery, however, they are useless if your nutrition reeks of inflammation. Read on as I explain food’s impact on your body to either build or break.

Inflammation is a state in which the body is inflamed (mostly internal). Inflammation in the body occurs mainly from excessive stress and poor food choices. It goes unnoticed usually until symptoms occur. Inflammation can sprout from any part of the body. You can experience excessive muscle soreness, joint pain, headaches, stomach pains and any unwanted symptom.

Today, I want to focus on inflammation in regards to athletic performance and more specifically, muscle recovery from post exercise and how certain foods rank high on the inflammatory scale. I took upon this area of interest when I was suffering from days of muscle soreness and constant breakdown. It’s an area that people are oblivious to and they just think that any food with nacronutrients will do.

Here, I am going to list the top 5 inflammatory foods that people “think” serve their bodies well for athletic performance and even health.

Inflammatory Food #1: DAIRY

No matter matter who you are, milk does NOT do the body good. Same goes with other dairy products. Do you want to heal that stubborn cold or calm your allergic reactions so you can focus on your training? Then lay off the dairy! Organic or not, dairy has an inflammatory affect in the body. Signs of it are mucus build ups, coughing and sneezing and other symptoms that signal that you are weakening your immune system.

Your immune system is vital to your body’s ability to recover from extensive training. If you can’t fight off colds or calm allergies, good luck with healing your muscles efficiently.

Inflammatory Food #2: RED MEAT

Red meat specifically is known to be inflammatory in the body. I am not certain on why this is, but I believe it is because of the increase in Omega 6 fatty acids when cooked along with the inflammatory vegetable oils which people think are healthy. When you cook the meat you get a very imbalanced ratio of omega 6 to 3. This is evident in the typical Western diet with everyone frying their food and destroying the nutrients while creating more trans fats. This leads me to discuss the next culprit on our list.

Inflammatory Food #3: FRIED, FAST and GREASY FOOD

Yes we know that fast food in general is bad, but I want to talk more specifically on what people generally don’t understand when looking towards a post workout meal.

Most people think that as long as they get lots of protein, fat, and carbs after their workout that they are serving their by well for the recovery phase. It’s not only an immature perspective, but detrimental to your body over time if you are eating whopping plates of fast food or fried greasy meals.

Chinese food is a prime example of an inflammatory food. People think it’s a healthier option because it Chinese, but with all of the high temperature cooking and use of vegetable oils, it’s a recipe for inflammatory disaster. I remember when l visited a mall after a tough workout to grab a plate of Chinese food from the stand. Of course I got a heaping plate of it. Not only did I feel crappier afterwards, but I was nearly paralyzed with muscle soreness for the next few days.

So next time you go for a post workout meal, stay away from such foods and your body will heal the way it should. The only difference between eating such food and not eating at all is you get to satisfy your hunger. Either way, it’s best that you avoid fast greasy food.

Inflammatory Food #4: WHEAT

Wheat bread comes with one ingredient that is evident to cause inflammation and that is Gluten. Gluten is found in most breads and is used as a binding agent. Gluten destroys your intestinal walls, causing digestive issues. This is one potent sign of inflammation that you should not neglect. Also, because of the damage, your ability to absorb essential minerals and nutrients is hampered. You will likely notice food cravings and mood disorders amongst other things.

In case you don’t get it by now, any negative symptom is a sign of inflammation and is likely affecting your body’s ability to recover from workouts and other stresses.

The most noticeable change for me was when I took wheat bread out of my diet. I noticed a huge increase in my healing of knee pain that I was dealing with as well as my ability to control cravings. I also don’t get sick like I used to.

If you think aching joints and immobility are a part of aging, thats not so the case if you just choose to eat better foods for your body. Refined wheat and gluten are the ultimate aging foods. Try cutting out wheat and gluten from your diet for 2 weeks and monitor your progress. Most likely you will feel significantly better.

Inflammatory Food #5 PASTA

The food of choice for the big game right? You will always hear a sports coach preaching pasta as your fuel for the game. Other professions will advocate pasta as well, but again, this is something that is not looked at from an inflammatory standpoint. Most people look at inflammation as long term health damage, but neglect it’s affects on the body via post training recovery.

Pasta is a wheat product and the sauce is usually a refined packaged good that has some artificial filler included to enhance flavour. Anything artificial is inflammatory in the body and should be avoided regularly.

Pasta, like meat, is very filling and hard on the digestive system. If you exercise hard or play hard on the field, the last thing you should do is give your digestive system a workout. More energy is needed to digest such food and therefore, can’t be spent efficiently on muscle recovery. Again, it’s usually overlooked by focusing on macronutrient content rather than the source of it.

Summary

These foods are proven to be inflammatory in the body one way or another. They may cause inflammation directly or indirectly. Inflammation is the underlying source of all unwanted bodily symptoms and will prolong healing of any kind. It just makes sense to consider the inflammatory impact certain foods have when concerned about muscle recovery and not just overall health if your care that much about athletic performance.

Inflammation will increase muscle soreness so It should not be neglected. For those who are in their upper 20’s and older, the conscious action should be taken to support your body through recovery and health altogether. Our immune systems weaken as we get older, but only by eating properly, can we slow the aging process and live longer, move and feel better.

You can find more information about inflammatory and anti-inflammatory foods all over the internet. I was planning on including anti-inflammatory foods as alternatives at the end of this writeup, however, this blog is getting long and so I wrap it up here.

I will continue with part 2 of this write up next week and shed some light on this dark matter with the focus on anti-inflammatory foods that will help speed your recovery by boosting immunity.

Thank you for reading and have a happy easter!

Brendan Kearney

Vibranatural

http://www.vibranatural.com

 

Whey Better than Plant Protein?

When it comes to protein supplements like powders, there is often a lot of controversy as to which protein powder is better. Without getting into the subcategories of protein powders, I am just going to talk about the two heavy hitters in the food supplement sector. They are none other than the all mighty Whey protein and the vibrant Plant based protein powders. I am going to reveal the pros and cons of each and how they measure up to your goals and desires for your health and fitness and also why preaching the better one is irrelevant.

Whey Protein Powder has been the overall top seller for the last two decades for many reasons. It has been available and marketed since the early 2000’s as the ultimate bodybuilder’s protein supplement and has been consumed by bodybuilders and athletes of different sports and fitness grinds. Whey protein has a strong reputation for it’s effectiveness in assisting muscle recovery and growth amongst fitness folks. It is a more functional protein than it’s fellow dairy comprising powders like Egg and Casein.

Whey protein, in general, also has a reputation of neglecting health properties in favour of focusing on muscle and sport. Most of the leading brands in the industry take shortcuts and add artificial ingredients for added flavour and texture as well as scientifically engineered stuff to enhance performance (so they state in big bold fancy lettering). You can’t deny that whey’s popularity over the years has stemmed from marketing hype one way or another.

Plant Protein Powder, in general, is made up of a variety of protein-rich sources like Hemp, Rice, Pea, and Sunflower to name a few. They also come in isolated forms of these protein sources, but for now, we will just focus on plant based protein powder in general.

Plant protein powder is an alternative for vegetarians and vegans whole can still get a broad amount of protein to supplement what they may lack in their diet. It is generally a cleaner protein source because there is no lactose or any potential faulty ingredients. All of the manufacturers focus solely on healthy, compromise-free nutrition.

The sport supplement industry has not marketed plant based sources of protein so much as whey, but the potential for it to thrive in the sports department is slowly rising.

I am going to break down where these two forms of protein powder stand in 5 different areas: Taste, Natural and Healthy, Quality, Fitness and Athletic Performance, and Cost.

TASTE

Now looking from a perspective of sheer athletic performance or health and longevity, taste is really not a concern as long as it has some flavour and is tolerable. However, for many who just like to add a protein shake to their diet via post training or as a meal replacement, we’ll consider it.

When it comes to taste, it does come to personal preference. There are various popular flavours to come by like chocolate, vanilla, strawberry and such. some people who mix their protein with a variety of fruits and butters may just go with an unflavoured version. As long as the protein powder has flavour and is at least somewhat enjoyable to consume, then it’s good to go.

I think if you are going for tastefulness first, you will find that whey protein is a much more enjoyable route to go. However, this is usually aided by artificial sweeteners that you will want to watch out for if you value your health.

I find that plant protein powder has a bit more of a gritty taste to it even when flavoured. If you can tolerate the taste of unflavoured plant protein powder then suit yourself.

NATURAL AND HEALTHY

When it comes to your health, plant protein powders are always a safer bet. The manufacturers are more interested in making healthy sources of protein than they are marketing muscle building.

It is generally believed that to give your body the health treatment it deserves for longevity and vibrance, plant protein is the way to go. The absence of dairy and animal protein gives you the assurance that the product is clean from the inside out.

Plant based protein also contains some fibre, making it better for your digestive health and pushing out toxic waste. You should be getting all the fibre you need from your diet alone anyways, so it doesn’t really help much in that department, but is a step ahead of whey in that area.

Those who advocate plant based protein will degrade whey and point out the flaws. Since whey does contain dairy, it contains lactose, which is intolerable for many people and can be overly aggressive for the digestive system. Also, dairy is known to be more inflammatory in the body. Dairy tends to cause more allergies and break outs in the skin. Keep in mind that this is the dark side of whey protein when artificial fillers are included and the lactose levels are high.

If you care about your health, you will want to eliminate these artificial ingredients as much as possible. Look out for ingredients such as Maltodextrin, Modified Starches, Silicone Dioxide, Sucralose, Sucrose, Sodium Benzoate, and Acesulfame Potassium to name a few.

If you want to keep it natural for your health, look for ingredients such as Stevia, Xylitol, Guar Gum, Soy Lecithin, Inulin, Organic Cocoa, Organic Vanilla bean or extract. There should not be that many ingredients listed for a product that has only one macronutrient present (protein). All of the above ingredients should be all you need along with some of the whey protein and enzyme blends. You may also find Peptides and pectin (a probiotic).

It is also important that you opt for a high quality manufactured protein source. This is where whey protein has a reputation for taking shortcuts. Whey protein has seen improvements over the years however, and some companies are producing healthier products with better quality protein. This is their response to the healthier movement amongst consumers.  They are becoming more natural, organic, non GMO and lower lactose levels.

Those who love their whey protein can now have the best of both worlds: The muscle building performance and natural healthiness. With the natural health movement of whey protein manufacturing and marketing, the edge could be gained over the plant sources for those who are open to either ends of the spectrum.

QUALITY

Quality protein is essential for your health and even athletic performance. When you are searching for a whey protein powder, make sure you are getting one that contains milk from grass fed cows and that have not been treated with antibiotics or hormone injections. Also, look for a non GMO labelling for added assurance and look for a label stating “undenatured” or “cold processed” This means that the protein was processed at cold temperatures that didn’t harm the quality of the protein like the amino acids it needs for it to be complete.

New Zealand originated whey protein is the most reputable amongst various origins to produce such quality. Kaizen is an example of a Canadian brand that uses New Zealand Whey protein.

A whey protein isolate is when the amino acids are isolated, making them “free form” and therefore, absorbs quicker. This is for the purpose of getting the protein to the muscles as fast as possible to repair lost protein and minerals in the body and amino acid breakdown. However, the denaturing process is quite high because it is processed to high temperatures. For this reason, don’t bother with whey isolate because the denaturing process just reverses the enhancement that was intended. Plus, whey absorbs quick enough on it’s own, so stick with the regular.

The benefits of plant based protein in the health department are obvious. They are also more carefully handled in the manufacturing process and therefore, you can count on the nutrient quality to still be more intact. They are usually organic plant sources along with no GMO’s. Plant based protein is a one-size-fits-all when it comes to health and quality. Whey is more selective.

FITNESS PERFORMANCE

Overall, Whey protein dominates in the area of fitness and athletic performance. It appeals to body builders and strength training athletes. Often times, bodybuilders and weight trainers will be oblivious to the health properties when they are so focused and influenced on the marketing hype whey protein provides for gaining muscle.

This isn’t to say that they are mislead. Whey protein has an edge in this area mainly due to the higher amount of calories and protein per serving. Whey protein is also fast absorbing, getting the amino acids in quicker to do their magic via post workout training for recovery.

Whey protein also contains a full spectrum of amino acids that plant protein often misses. Look for a full spectrum of amino acids labeled on both whey and plant protein supplements containers.

Plant based protein sources tend to be more “hippy like” and advocate nature’s beauty. They appeal to people that are more interested in health and naturalness. however, you can never underestimate the power nature and the quality nutrition it provides us.

Aside from the marketing hype of whey protein and building muscle, plant based protein may actually have it’s place in the athletic performance area. Just look at Vega, the vegan plant based manufacturer of performance nutrition. Vega is the first plant based company to merge into the athletic performance sector with  company founder Brendan Brazier’s creation.

Brendan is a long distance trainer who competes in triathlons such as Iron Man. His mission throughout life was to experiment with what type of food works best for athletic performance. Low and behold, the verdict was plant based nutrition. Vega’s Sport Recovery protein formula is at the forefront of quality performance protein powders. It’s an all natural vegan source of multiple plant protein sources flavoured naturally. You can find the Vega Sport Recovery Protein Powder as well as their other products anywhere. Health food stores aren’t the only ones carrying their goods. Grocery and drug stores now carry Vega products. It’s a true revolution.

When it’s all about building muscle however, whey, egg and casein protein will be your best choice. If you are interested in keeping it clean and healthy, I would suggest an all whey protein powder. Optimum Nutrition provides a quality All Natural Whey Protein Powder for fitness enthusiasts. It is one of the leading brands of whey protein amongst so many in North America.

PRICE

Price is of concern when shopping on a budget. In general, plant protein powders are significantly more expensive than the typical whey protein powder. This is because plant protein companies put more time and emphasis on making their products nutritionally sound. A 1 lb. tub (which is roughly 15 servings) of a plant source of protein powder will usually cost around $30, which is as much as a 2 lb. tub of cheap whey protein. Keep in mind though that you are paying for quality and if you are serious about your health and fitness gains, a higher grade product is worthwhile the investment.

For example, a 2 lb. container of high quality all natural, undenatured whey protein will cost $45 to $60, roughly the same as a 2 lb. container of a plant based source on sale. In my opinion, when it comes to the best of both worlds (health and performance) Vega and Optimum Nutrition (Natural Edition) are the best whey and plant sources of protein for the money.

CONCLUSION

Overall, it really comes down to personal preference, your goals and values. If you want to build muscle regardless of health properties, then whey protein will do as long as it’s at least of decent quality. If you are in it for the long haul and want to be healthy, a plant based source may be a better option. If you want to build muscle while keeping it natural and healthy, nothing less than top grade all natural, undenatured whey will do the trick. If you are a vegetarian, vegan or lactose intolerant, plant based protein is your only choice. If you want to keep it plant based but want to be as close to fitness performance oriented as possible, then go for Vega Sport Recovery protein powder because Brendan Brazier knows what’s going on in it.

The overall image portrayed by each rival are distinct. Whey protein has more of a fit and sexy appeal with top fitness models posing for the company’s product. This helps generate huge sales as it appeals to the fitness masses.

Plant based protein on the other hand tends to appeal to those more serious about their health and longevity but realize that many of their consumers are training hard in their fitness grinds and are just as aggressive.

The two top rivals in the protein supplement industry are really shaping up by addressing their weaknesses where the opposing contender excels. Whey protein manufacturers see the benefits of having a clean, healthy nutrition base, whereas plant based protein manufacturers see the benefits in having sport oriented qualities.

You can expect Whey and Plant based to continue to merge into each other’s territory to claim their spot all over the map. This is another reason to add that one is not possibly better than the other. It’s based on your personal preference, goals and values.

Now have fun protein shopping!

Brendan K

Vibranatural