Supplementation, how to do it right! Perfect Health Step 4

I really enjoyed this latest installment of The Healthy Skeptic's Perfect Health articles. It talks all about supplementation, the reasons we should do it correctly, and the dangers of doing it WRONG!

One thing that Chris did not really touch on is some fairly new science on the effects of the various multi-vitamin mineral structures. Studies are showing that some mineral forms (sulfates and gluconates) cause increased free radical production in the intestines, as well as being less soluble and available for the body to absorb. Chris correctly identifies that the AAC mineral forms (amino acid chelate) are better, but clearly hasn't been advised about AAOS mineral forms (amino acid oligosaccharide) that entered the market in 2008.

In November 2010 the Nutrition Journal published a study that shows the different rates of free radical production using each of the 4 mineral forms that are found in multi-vitamin/mineral supplements today. WARNING: This publication contains THICK science, so I will do a brief layman's summary right here. Of the four mineral forms, the sulfates and gluconates produced 4x and 3x as many free radicals as the AAOS form. The AAC form produced 2x as many free radicals as the AAOS form, making the oligosaccharide minerals the clear winner! (footnote, Centrum uses oxide mineral forms, which are worse than any of the four forms represented in the study. They are so bad they didn't even choose to represent oxide minerals in the study. Some previous studies have shown the oxidation rate of oxide forms vs. AAOS forms to be up to 6x however.)

To briefly summarize, free radicals are naturally occurring particles that are malformed, generally because they are missing an electron. These happen within the body as a result of many natural processes like breathing, muscle movement, and digestion. Our body fights these free radicals through the use of anti-oxidants, the ACES (Vitamin A, C, E, and Selenium) primarily. Free radicals have been linked in medical studies to a wide variety of modern chronic diseases such as cancer, Alzheimers, aging, Crone's disease, you name it. We don't need extra free radicals pumping into our bodies if we can possibly avoid it.

When synthetic forms of minerals enter the intestinal track, they crystallize. This makes the minerals almost entirely non-absorptive and also triggers the rapid production of free radicals.

Another thing Chris touches on is that it is almost impossible to get enough of certain nutrients just by eating normal foods, even organic foods. The correct proportions of those nutrients are simply hard to come by, for many reasons. One is that we as a general population are lazy and rely on processed foods, fast foods, and those just don't have the right stuff in them. Another reason is that our farm soils are depleted and mineral deficient. Even the RIGHT foods don't have as much nutrition in them as they once did, and our cross-country shipping of them further depletes the value of those foods, as they are harvested green and unripe to keep them from rotting, handled roughly and stored in dark spaces.

So check out the latest installment of 9 Steps to Perfect Health by Chris Kresser at the Healthy Skeptic. Let me know in the comments below if this information was valuable.

9 Steps to Perfect Health – #4: Supplement Wisely

Previous articles:
- 9 Steps To Perfect Health – #1: Don’t Eat Toxins
- 9 Steps to Perfect Health – #2: Nourish Your Body
- 9 Steps to Perfect Health – #3: Eat Real Food

My Crossfit trial, and very sore muscles

I attended the free beginner session at the local crossfit gym this last saturday. I'm just now getting over the sore muscles from what was advertised to me as a "toned down, less aggresive for the beginners" workout.

I arrived on time, and fell in with about 40-50 total people there for the session. We started off with a little pep talk, and some preparatory information about what we would be doing. The coach had us split up into groups of 5-7 people, and our very first workout item was a 400 meter run throwing 14 and 20 pound medicine balls around our group. This was fairly light, and not too much trouble.

When we got back from the run, we practiced doing squats while throwing the medicine balls around our group. The squats probably did the most damage to me from a lasting soreness viewpoint.

Next we did an 800 meter run with one set of 35 pound hand barbells per group. Single file line, the first guy in line does a farmers carry of the weights, but there is a catch. You only hold the weights for as long as you can hold your breath, then you put them down and pass them to the next in line. That was brutal. I'm not much of a runner normally, but when you add 70 pounds of weight and holding the breath, WOW.

When we were done with the weighted breath holding run, we headed back inside to learn "kipping pullups". Traditional pullups you hold your body still, underneath the pullup bar, then pull straight up. With kipping pullups, there is a swinging body motion that gets your entire frame up and when you do the pullup, its almost as if you are already horizontal to the bar, followed immediately by a "pushup" off the bar to keep the body swinging motion going.

We did a few of those, then they taught the correct form and motions for an Olympic power clean and jerk lift. No weight, just a PVC pipe, to show the correct body motions.

Then I had to cut out for another appointment, so I didn't even get to participate in the actual workout of the day, which included a 15 minute AMRAP (as many reps as possible) of a couple activities including the kipping pullups and the power c&j lifts.

I was very impressed with the people and leadership there, and I am definitely going to be back for another saturday session before I make any decisions about a membership.

Fascinating science of nutrition, must read!

A bit ago I linked to the first couple of posts in the 9 part series by Chris Kresser, 9 Steps to Perfect Health. He has since produced two more segments, and the information in them blows me away! These are absolute required reading for anyone concerned with optimal health and nutrition.

First Chris explains the basics of nutrition as we have been taught for years, then destroys everything we know by explaining the deeper truth, in 9 Steps to Perfect Health – #2: Nourish Your Body

He then proceeds to explain in great detail the reason that our "diets" and the recommendations given by the government have been all wrong all along. Processed foods and even foods we have been convinced are healthy for us contain too many of the wrong kinds of nutrients, and not enough of the right kind. He then goes on the explain the scientific reasons we should be buying local and organic produce, not from the typical hippy-dippy love-in perspective, but with real facts and the science to back it up. In 9 Steps to Perfect Health – #3: Eat Real Food Chris is taking on the establishment and he has some very convincing facts to back him up.

I CANNOT wait to see what segments 4-9 have to offer, but with the way Mr. Kresser has scored with his first 3 segments of the 9 part article, it is sure to excite me further.

LINKS:
- 9 Steps To Perfect Health – #1: Don’t Eat Toxins
- 9 Steps to Perfect Health – #2: Nourish Your Body
- 9 Steps to Perfect Health – #3: Eat Real Food

Can nutrition help you quit smoking?

A close friend of mine recently decided he would quit smoking, after years and years of, er, um, not quitting?

I'm very excited for him, and I wish there was more I could do to assist him. However, speaking realistically, its completely up to him. It's his mental state that is most important, and no amount of cajoling, harassment, persuading, or pleading is likely to make any difference.

However, because I wish him everything good, I want to offer this first hand account from someone who has been successful. It also lists some of the positive effects of making that quitting decision and commitment, physical effects that will be seen over time. Here are a couple of them, copied from the link above.

8 HOURS AFTER YOUR LAST SMOKE

-Carbon monoxide level drops to normal

-Oxygen level increases to normal

48 HOURS AFTER YOUR LAST SMOKE

-Nerve endings start regrowing

-Ability to smell and taste enhanced

A green quiz, and a green home tour!

How green are you? According to Practically Green, you can take their quiz and find out, along with some customized "greener" steps and plans to help you achieve those goals.

I recently took the quiz myself, and discovered that I am "Pretty Green" scoring a 5 out of a possible 10 on their rating scale. Check it out, and see what they suggest for you.

One of the ways I was surprisingly green was in my choice of environmentally friendly and health safe personal care products. Many products have chemicals you wouldn't expect!

Check out this very interesting visual home app, which shows you where some hidden dangers lurk in an easy virtual tour of a typical home!

My personal fitness path

Over the years, I have had various interests that have resulted in keeping me at some level of general fitness and health. These have included doubles grass volleyball, bicycling, rock climbing/bouldering, snowboarding, hiking, yoga, Zumba and occasionally some level of typical gym activity. I still enjoy all of these things, but I don't get to do any of them as often as I once did.

So I am embarking on my next journey into fitness. I have found that traditional gym work doesn't do much for me. It makes me feel good, and there is some comfort that I am "doing the right thing". However, from a results perspective, I am just not seeing the ending I want. I am closing quickly on 40 years and 215 pounds. At 5'10" this puts me into a category I would rather not be in.

The path I am currently examining is Crossfit. I've done a bit of research into the methods, culture and results of Crossfitters, and it looks very promising. There is actually a well established CF gym just 3 blocks from my house, which almost makes it too easy. I hope to be able to document my progress as things move forward with that. I haven't made a commitment to do CF just yet, but I did stop in at the gym and talk with several of the guys there yesterday.

It was a very interesting conversation. They told me that it was somewhat cult-like, which I take to mean an insular community feel. They claimed the intensity is addictive and the results help them professionally... most of them are firemen locally.

I intend to pop over for a couple of free and/or introductory classes this coming week. We will see how things go!

Starting stats for me:
Weight 212
BMI: 30.3
activity level: I have been doing an hour of Arc training machine 2-3 times per week for 3 weeks now.

Research continues to link unsafe chemicals to chronic diseases

Some very important research was recently published by the The Mount Sinai Children's Environmental Health Center that continues to expose links between chronic diseases and environmental exposures, especially to chemicals found in every day products!

http://bit.ly/e7UI4b

Many products that people think of as safe or even healthy are being shown to contain ingredients such as phthalates, things as simple as cosmetics, plastic toys, even perfumes, lotions or shampoos.

Because exposure to phthalates in the environment is ubiquitous, the potential for public health impact of exposure to phthalates might be great. The researchers state that preventive measures to limit exposure to phthalates during pregnancy may be warranted should their findings be verified.

This type of groundbreaking research just holds up the fact that stronger regulation of product ingredients is necessary for the health of ourselves, our children, and our future as the human race.

The results of the study indicated that mothers with higher recorded concentrations of low molecular weight phthalate metabolites in their urine during pregnancy reported poorer behavioral profiles in their children. In particular, there were strong trends in the measures of conduct and externalizing problems, characteristics typically associated with Oppositional Defiant Disorder, Conduct Disorder and Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).

For some additional information on Endocrine disruptors (ED), of which phthalates are just one, check out this December 2009 NY Times article entitled Cancer from the Kitchen?

You're going to put WHAT in your mouth?

Health is a full body exercise. You have to be careful about every aspect of every product if you want to keep "them" from putting things in your mouth that you don't want.

Formaldehyde and EDTA (ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid) are commonly used preservatives in toothpastes. Natural alternative ingredients are available that are healthy and it's just ridiculous that companies like Proctor & Gamble or Johnson & Johnson are still putting harmful chemicals into your personal care products.

Check out this short blog post about some natural ingredients that many healthy natural toothpastes are using effectively.

Calcium and Vitamin D

Most people, when asked, KNOW that calcium is used for bones, hair, and teeth. Osteoporosis is a condition of bone thinning, attributed to lack of calcium in the diet, generally onsets with age.

However, the primary function of calcium in the body is not for bones. Our muscles use calcium to trigger their contractions, and the most important muscle in the body is the heart. Because calcium is critical to keep the heart pumping, the body uses calcium in a prioritized fashion, heart first, everything else last. In fact, it is because of this muscle function that the body will strip calcium from the skeletal system, meaning that osteoporosis is indeed a symptom of low calcium in the diet, but it is not the primary reason we need calcium.

The NY Times Health and Fitness section recently published a blog post about Vitamin D and Calcium, and how they interact with each other. Its worth a read! Pay special attention to the portions where they discuss the recent updates to the governmental recommendations for daily intake, and how it is nearly impossible for someone to consume enough of these nutrients in their diet. Supplementing the vitamins and minerals that our body uses for its critical functions is the only way to ensure you are getting the right mix.

In 1936, a study was presented to the US Senate about the mineral content of US farming soils, and it showed that almost every mineral critical to human nutrition is DEFICIENT and DEPELETED in our soil. If that was true 70 years ago, what could have possibly happened since then to make our farms produce the correct amount of mineral content in our vegetables and fruits?

The only mineral that is typically re-introduced to our soils is Phosphorus, because it is one of the primary ingredients in most fertilizers. So our bodies get enough phosphorus, but not nearly enough manganese, iron, zinc, and others. These minerals are required throughout our bodies for vital functions and systemic support.

Please make sure you are giving your body the correct building blocks for a healthy life, and eating a salad once a week just isn't going to cut it. Yes, I'm talking to you.

Give your body a multi-vitamin and mineral supplement daily, and make sure it's one that uses a mineral form that is highly bioavailable, not the completely synthetic form found in Centrum or One-A-Day, which have been proven to have as low as a 5% absorption rate. Unless you want to take 15 One-A-Day tablets each day... perhaps it should be called 15-A-Day?

Highly caffeinated drinks, worth the risk?

In a recent set of studies between the University of Houston and the University of Queensland Australia, the contents, effectiveness, and long term health impacts of so called energy drinks have come under investigation. Currently these drinks are being labeled as dietary supplements, which frees the manufacturers from the scrutiny applied to beverages and juices.

However, the ingredients are often far from supplemental, with some of these 16 ounce drinks containing up to 13 teaspoons of sugar, and the equivalent of 4 cups of coffee worth of caffeine. And this says nothing about the jumble of other items tossed into the mix. Guarana, taurine, ginko biloba, glucuronolactone, even alcohol in one of the most recent additions to the field, Four Loko.

These drinks are available for everyones un-metered consumption on store shelves, young children, old people and everyone in between. There have been documented cases of heart attacks and mental state problems related to the abuse and over-use of these types of drinks, and that is only likely to get worse as the "ingredients" battle between the manufacturers escalates. Some of these drinks are now available in 24 ounce cans, which are labeled as 2-4 servings, but are often consumed as a single serving, or even multiple 24oz. cans in series.

There are some very real risks associated with these drinks, and you are advised to understand them before you make the choice for yourself or your children.

There are products available that give your body energy the way nature intended, through proper combinations of nutrients and foods. The long term impact of dosing your body with large amounts of caffeine, guarana, taurine, or any of these other stimulants is not fully understood or documented. Knowing that there are safe alternatives, would you take this risk?

The foods we eat, the unknown dangers we take.

One of the blogs I follow recently started a 9 part article on perfect health. The very first published section became available over the weekend, and it focuses on glutens, industrial seed oils and the health implications of our supposedly healthy whole grain diets.

I immediately forwarded this to one of my close personal friends who suffers from a gluten allergy and is taking steps to remove wheat gluten from her life. There is some tremendous information available here, and I want to share it with everyone. Check it out, it could save your health!

9 steps to perfect health. Step #1 Don't eat Toxins
by Chris Kesser