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The Ten SuperFoods

Barley

Barley is a common cereal grain used across the world. It is known to help with bronchitis, diarrhea, gastritis, and inflammatory bowel conditions. It is also used for lowering blood sugar, blood pressure, and cholesterol, and for weight loss. (Natural Medicine Comprehensive Database, 8th edition, 98-100) The fiber content of barley is most likely responsible for the observed reduction of cholesterol levels in healthy and hypercholesterolemic people. (J Am Diet Assoc 1994; 94:65-70) Researchers think barley might increase the excretion of bile acids or neutral sterols, increase catabolism of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, and reduce fat absorption.(J Am Coll Nutr 2004;23:55-62) It is also believed that barley can lower blood glucose. (BMJ 1988;297:958-60)

Acai

Acai is a fruit found in the Amazon that resembles a grape of a blueberry. It is used for osteoarthritis, hypercholesterolemia, and for improving overall health. It is consumed raw and as a juice. (Natural Medicine Comprehensive Database, 8th edition, 5-6) The fruit pulp contains proteins and lipids. It also contains calcium, phosphorus, iron, and thiamine. (Magn Reson Imaging 2004;22:389-93) Acai has very high antioxidant activity. It has more antioxidant content than cranberry, raspberry, blackberry, strawberry, and blueberry. (J Agric Food Chem 2004;52:1539-45)

Cayenne Pepper

Cayenne pepper is a hot pepper that has been used for centuries as a folk medicine. Cayenne Pepper is used for flatulence, diarrhea, cramps, reducing blood clot tendencies, fever, hyperlipidemia, and preventing arteriosclerosis and heart disease. (Natural Medicine Comprehensive Database, 8th edition, 257-259) It is known to treat pain topically (Covington TR, et al. Handbook of Nonprescription Drugs, 11th ed. Washington DC:Am Pharmaceutical Assn, 1996)

Buckwheat

Buckwheat is a grain that has been eaten for hundreds of years in the Far East. China, Japan, Korea, and other Asian countries have long enjoyed noodles made from buckwheat flour. Buckwheat can also be used for a variety of baked products, including pancakes, breads, muffins, crackers, bagels, cookies, and tortillas among others. Buckwheat is thought of as a cereal, but is actually an herb of the buckwheat family, Polygonaceae. Buckwheat is used for improving glucose tolerance in patients with diabetes by increasing the sensitivity of beta cells to glucose. (J Agric Food Chem 2001;49:490-6) (Indian J Med Res 1985;81:162-8) It also has reports of having antioxidant activity , possibly through free radical scavenger and anti-lipid peroxidation activities. (J Agric Food Chem 2003;51:1500-5) (Biol Pharm Bull 2001;24:209-13) It also has preliminary studies showing anti-allergenic properties. (Int Immunopharmacol 2003; 3:129-36)

Flaxseed

Flaxseed is just what it sounds like - the seed of the flax plant. It is used for chronic constipation , diverticulitis, irritable bowel syndrome, bladder inflammation, hypercholesterolemia, hypertriglyceridemia, atherosclerosis, and osteoporosis. (Natural Medicine Comprehensive Database, 8th edition 520-522) Flaxseed seems to significantly reduce total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol in people with normal cholesterol levels and in people with high cholesterol levels. (Br J Nutr 1993;69:443-53) (Am J Clin Nutr 1995;61:62-8) (J Am Coll Nutr 1993;12:501-4) (Am J Clin Nutr 1999;69:395-402). There is also a correlation of reducing the risk of coronary heart disease. (J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2002;87:1527-32). Flaxseed is used to lower risk of atherschlerosis because it has the ability to reduce platelet aggregation and serum cholesterol. (Am J Clin Nutr 1999;69:395-402) (The Review of Natural Products by Facts and Comparisons. St. Louis, MO:Wolters Kluwer Co., 1999)

Alfalfa Sprout

Alfalfa is a plant with long history of use around the world as a livestock feed. Middle-Eastern cultures have long used alfalfa as fodder for horses claiming increased speed and strength of the animals and leading to the name "Al-fal-fa" meaning "father of all foods." It is a great source of Vitamins A, C, E, and K4; and minerals such as calcium , potassium, phosphorus, and iron. (Natural Medicine Comprehensive Database, 8th edition 26-27) The alfalfa leaf contains saponins which appear to decrease plasma cholesterol without creating a change in HDL levels. It also appears to decrease cholesterol absorption and increase the excretion of neutral steroids and bile acids. (Newall CA, Anderson LA, Philpson JD. Herbal Medicine:A Guide for Healthcare Professionals. London, UK:The Pharmaceutical Press, 1996) (The Review of Natural Products by Facts and Comparisons. St. Louis, MO:Wolters Kluwer Co., 1999) It seems to lower total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol in people with high cholesterol levels. (Atheroschlerosis 1987;65:173-9).

Lactobacillus Acidophilus

Lactobacillus Acidophilus is one of three beneficial bacteria found commonly in cultured yogurts. Lactobacillus is generally used for treatment and prevention of diarrhea. Furthermore, it is used for digestion problems, irritable bowel syndrome, and inflammatory bowel syndrome. (Natural Medicine Comprehensive Database, 8th edition778-783) There is clinical research that shows that Lactobacillus might enhance the natural immunity within healthy adults. It appears to increase the phagocytic activity in polymorphonuclear cells and monocytes and enhance the natural killer cell. (Nutr Res 2001;21:183-9) (J Am Coll Nutr 2001;20:149-56) There is also preliminary research showing that they have hypolipidemic and antiatheroschlerotic effects. There is limited clinical evidence showing that it can reduce total and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol with no effect on high-density cholesterol. ( Nutr Res 2002;22:393-403) (Nutr Res 2002;22:71-84) They seem to bind bile acids to cholesterol which results in increased bile acid-cholesterol excretion. They also seem to increase fatty acid production in the intestine which in turn decreases circulatory fatty acids by either inhibiting hepatic cholesterol synthesis or redirecting cholesterol from the plasma to the liver. (Am J Clin Nutr 2001;71:674-81)

Soy

Soy is an ingredient for popular products such as soy milk, tofu and soy sauce. It's health benefits are widely known. Soy is used for hyperlipidemia, menopausal symptoms, preventing osteoporosis, and preventing cardiovascular diseases. It can also be used for hypertension, type 2 diabetes, constipation, diarrhea, and muscle soreness from exercising. (Natural Medicine Comprehensive Database, 8th edition, 1155-1162) It is most definitely useful against hyperlipidemia. It reduces total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein(LDL) levels in both hypercholesterolemic and normocholesterolemic men and women. (Am J Clin Nutr 1998;68:1375S-9) (Am J Clin Nutr 1998:68:1380S-4) Soybeans are also rich in calcium, iron, potassium, amino acids, vitamins, and fiber. It contains all the essential amino acids in sufficient quantities to support human life. (Circulation 2000;102:2555-9) Soy seems to lower blood pressure. (Menopause 2000:7:215-29) It has pharmacological effects that may be beneficial in preventing cardiovascular diseases. (J Nutr 1999;129:758S-67S) Soy may increase bile acid excretion and up regulate the low-density lipoprotein(LDL) receptors. (Circulation 2000;102:2555-9) (J Am Clin Nutr 2000;71:908-13) Soy protein reduces glucose levels due to its fiber content. There is evidence that soy improves glycemic control by inhibiting tyrosine kinase activity, thereby improving the insulin receptor affinity, improving glucose transport and increasing tissue sensitivity to insulin. (Am J Clin Nutr 2001;73:1131S-41S)

Garlic

It's not just for warding off vampires anymore – garlic (the stinking rose) has been used for centuries for its reported benefits in promoting heart health and preventing infection. Garlic is used for hypertension, hyperlipidemia, preventing coronary heart disease, preventing age-related vascular changes and atherosclerosis. It is also used for stimulating the immune system. (Natural Medicine Comprehensive Database, 8th edition 556-561) There is clinical evidence that higher doses of 900 mg per day slow down the development of artherosclerosis in both aortic and femoral arteries when used over a four-year period. ( Atherosclerosis 2000:150:437-8) (Circulation 1997;96:2649-55) (Atherosclerosis 2000:144:237-49) It will decrease total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, and triglyceride levels. (Br J Clin Pract Symp Suppl 1990;69:3-6) (Am J Med 1993;94:632-5) (Ann Intern Med 2000;133:420-9) There is evidence that when garlic is taken orally, it will modestly reduce blood pressure. (J Hypertension 1994;12:463-8) (Pharmacotherpay 1993;13:406-7) Garlic lowers cholesterol by acting as a HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor-a statin. (Lipids 1996;31:1269-76) (J Nutr 1983;113:1746-55) Garlic also shows antiplatelet properties in both patients with cardiovascular diseases and in healthy volunteers. (J Cardiovasc Pharacol 1998;31:904-8) ( J Nutr 2000;130:2662-5)

Wheatgrass

Wheatgrass is a young plant of the genus Agropyron. Wheatgrass is a great source of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, iron, calcium, magnesium, and amino acids. It is used for increasing hemoglobin production, improving blood sugar disorders such as diabetes, and preventing bacterial infections. Additionally, it is used to reduce high blood pressure, prevent gray hair, improve digestion, and block intestinal cholesterol absorption. It is also used orally for removing deposits of drugs, heavy metals, and carcinogens from the body and neutralizing toxins, removing toxins from the liver and removing toxins from the bloodstream. (Natural Medicine Comprehensive Database, 8th edition 1319-20) It seems to have antibiotic activity. (Dr. Duke's Phytochemical and Ethnobotanical Databases) It also has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity. (Scand J Gastroenterol 2002;4:444-9)

ONE BONUS FOOD
Green Tea

Green Tea is the second most consumed beverage in the world second only to water and has been used medicinally for centuries in East Asia. Green Tea if taken can lower cholesterol and triglycerides, LDL, and increased high-density lipoprotein (HDL). (BMJ 1995;310:693-6) There is also evidence that green tea can reduce the risk of hypertension. (Arch Intern Med 2004 26;164:1534-40) Green tea is used for weight loss. Early evidence shows that green tea extract rich in EGCG can increase calorie and fat metabolism. (Am J Clin Nutr 1999;70:1040-5) (Altern Comp Ther 2000;6:296-300) Green tea can reduce oxidative DNA damage, lipid peroxidation, and free radical generation. (Proc Soc Exp Biol Med 1999;220:249-54) Green tea has anti-inflammatory activity. (J Surg Res 2004;199:138-42)

Join my social network

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Rules of Nutrition

1- Eat every 2 to 3 hours. This will keep your blood sugar and energy regulated. You will be less likely to want to binge. You will have more energy to want to be active and healthy!

2- Eat a balanced meal. Meals should consist of roughly 50-60 percent carbohydrate, 20-30 percent protein, and 20 percent fat.

3- Eat more when you are more active, less when you are less active. Basically ask yourself "what am I going to be doing the next couple of hours" and base your food intake on that. You do not want to starve yourself all day, come home eat like crazy, and then go to bed. That is a very fast way to get fat.

4. Drink water. People should drink a minimum of 96 ounces of water a day. Being dehydrated will slow your metabolism down, trick your brain to think you are hungry, and will put stress on the liver which is one of the major fat burning organs in the body!

My inlaws

I have to give props to my in-laws, Doug and Jeri. They did great on their program, and have maintained their results. Just the other day I was at their house and opened their fridge, and saw like 10 dozen eggs! Way to go!

29,200,000 Diets

29,200,000 different links came up when I typed "diets" into Google. Can you believe that? What is a person supposed to do? If I were trying to lose weight, and went to the internet for help, I would be confused to say the least. " The confusion in the diet industry is easy to explain. $$$ it is all about money. People are emotional about the way they look. Because they are emotional about the way they look, it is easy to take advantage of them from a marketing standpoint. Lose 10 lbs in 24 hours! Lose a pound a day! Eat all you want and still lose weight! These are all marketing tags to watch out for. In choosing a diet program, you need to ask your self a couple of questions.
1. Is what I have to do during the program something I can do for the rest of my life?
2. Is this program individualized for me. (i.e. measurements taken weekly and program changed based on results)
3. Am I just losing weight or am transforming my body? (Make sure your focus is not just on the scale)
4. Is my metabolism getting higher, or lower? (Diets that have you on super-low calories will slow your metabolism down, make you hungry, and ultimately when you go back to eating normal, you will have lost a lot of lean muscle (fat burning machinery).)

The point is, look for something that is individualized to your abilities, wants, and that can be incorporated into your lifestyle!

Losing fat and or building muscle is hard work! It is not easy, and it takes time! But when you do it right, your results will last! Someone once said "If you lose weight fast, you will gain it back just as fast!"

How I deal with sugar cravings

I like sugar just like the next person, but there are a lot of products out there that will curb the sweet craving without hurting your results. The item I would like to highlight is "Sugar Free Mentos." They have 0 grams of sugar and taste exactly like real mentos! There are 2 flavors, fruit and cool mint. The best place to find them is at Harmon's by the gum etc in the checkout line. Good luck and enjoy.

Am I obsessed with pumpkin?

Like I said before, I love pumpkin. This is a little recipe for a pumpkin protein shake! Combined with the great taste of the TopForm Whey protein, this is a sure hit!

Ingredients:
6 Ice Cubes
1/3 cup of canned pumpkin puree
1/3 cup of 2% evaporated milk
1 cup of vanilla flavored soy milk
2 packets of splenda
Cinnamon to taste
Nutmeg to taste
And the most important ingredient... 1 scoop of Vanilla TopForm Better Whey protein

Add all ice cubes, wet ingredients, and dry ingredients into a blender.
Blend until shake consistency.

The evaporated milk is used for it's creamy consistency. For those that are lactose intolorant, remove the evaporated milk and increase soy milk to 1-1/3 cups.

Nutrition:
Calories 264
Fat 5.5 grams
Carbohydrates: 28 grams
Protein 28 grams

This is an excellent shake to use as a post exercise recovery drink!

Congrats Jared

Jared, just finished his program with me. He is a new consultant at THF that has lots of potential and talent to become the best consultant we have ever had. You can view his blog here... http://jaredthf.blogspot.com/
Anyway here are his before and after pics! This proves that hard work pays off!

Yummy Pumpkin Treat

I love pumpkin! I have been know to eat a whole pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving. Most people only eat pumpkin in the fall, but it is very nutritious and high in vitamin A, and should be eaten often! Here is a little recipe, that is more healthy than the pumpkin pie, but tastes just as good.

Ingredients:
1 can of pumpkin
1 box sugar free and fat free vanilla pudding
1/2 Tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1 serving light whipped dessert topping (coolwhip)

Directions:
Mix all the ingredients except coolwhip together
Blend well in a bowl
Refrigerate till cool
Dip out 1/2 cup serving and top with a dab of coolwhip

Nutritional info per 1/2 cup:
Fat: 0.8 grams
Carbohydrates: 18.1 grams
Protein: 1.6 grams
Calories 130

212 the extra degree

I read a great little motivational book the other day. It is called 212 the extra degree. It is all about how doing a little more, being a little better, and working a little harder can pay huge dividends. It takes water and its boiling point as the example. Water is just hot at 211 degrees, but at 212 degrees it boils, creates steam, and can power a locomotive. I think that in exercise, fitness and eating healthy there are many opportunities we have to push a little harder and don't. Maybe it is we don't like the pain. Maybe we are lazy? The point is, little things truly make a big difference. Watch this short motivational video and be inspired...http://www.212movie.com/

Make Money Be Fit!!!

Here is your chance to become an affiliate of TopForm. You can sell the the TopForm product line and make $$$$. This isn't one of those get rich schemes, in fact you will probably not get rich, but it is a great way to get a few easy bucks to buy those fun things you would buy if you had extra money. We can give you your own affiliate website that you can post to your blog, or webpage, and when people buy products from it, you make money!!! If you are interested, we will be having a seminar at the Sandy Total Health & Fitness in a couple of weeks. Email me if you are interested, and I will put your name on the list! mike.butler@thfonline.com

Workout of the Day!

The best at home dumbbells period!

PowerBlocks are the world’s best Dumbbells.

Why? PowerBlocks are perfectly balanced. They are the heaviest, most compact and easiest to use quick change dumbbell. PowerBlock is the only dumbbell system that can expand to meet your strength needs. Start with a 50 lb set, expand to 90 lbs, expand again to 130 lbs. Dumbbells are the most versatile and effective exercise tool ever developed for strength training. Now you can have rapid access to a whole rack of dumbbells at home in the space of just 1 pair, and at a fraction of the price of conventional dumbbells.
You can learn more about PowerBlocks by clicking on the banner at the right of the page!

Are you craving????

Super Citrimax is a great supplement for reducing cravings. Did you know that when you diet and or restrict carbohydrates, your body's natural production of Seratonin is reduced? Seratonin is the chemical our brain produces that makes us feel good? Foods like chocolate and starchy carbohydrates increase our body's production of this chemical. (No wonder people can become addicted to chocolate.) TopForm's Super Citrimax (Burn Baby Burn) is the perfect choice to reduce food cravings as well as increase feelings of well being! For more information click here. http://www.topformsupplements.com/p-26-super-citrimax-burn-baby-burn.aspx

WHAT I ATE LAST NIGHT - turkey burger

Turkey burger is a wonderful alternative to hamburger. Using 99 percent lean turkey reduces fat intake tremendously. Here is the recipe... Take 1 lb 99 percent lean ground turkey, add 1/2 cup of shredded parmesan cheese, 1 tablespoon of diced red onion, and salt and pepper to taste. Mix the ingredients in a bowl. Divide the meat into about 4-5 patties (each will be about 3-4 oz) Grill on the barbecue until the juices run clear. Add to a whole wheat bun (for your starch) add lowfat cheese, or avocado (for your fat). Remember, veggies and lowfat mayo and mustard are free.
Enjoy

CLIENT OF THE WEEK

Travis Bradford receives the dubious client of the week award for the 26th of May. I have been working with Travis off and on for a couple of years. Travis is one of the hardest working clients I have ever worked with. He really pushed himself, and wanted to succeed. I have to say congratulations on keeping the weight off for 2 years. He has lost a total of 31 pounds of Fat, and increased his Lean Muscle Mass by 6 pounds. The following pictures are his before, his after, and then 2 years later. Way to go Travis!!

The Coolist Waterbottle EVER!!!!

This has got to be the coolest water bottle ever! The biggest problem clients have is remembering to drink their gallon of water and TAKE their supplements each day. This bottle helps with both. With 22 oz capacity, and a built in supplement carrier in the bottom of the bottle, drinking the water and taking your supps has never been easier!! You can purchase one of these for only $8.95 by clicking the following link!
http://www.topformsupplements.com/p-52-all-in-one-water-bottle-pill-case.aspx

Water Wait???

Funny story, I had a client the other day that thought he should have lost weight on his first week on the program. I informed him that most people actually gain weight their first week due to an increase in eating more food and drinking more water. He continued to tell me that he was going to lose weight his first week. Now the funny thing is during his first follow up visit, he gained a little weight, not a lot, like a pound or so. He couldn't understand why, and I had to tell him again that he was drinking a lot of water and eating more, and that is going to count as a lean mass increase. Anyway, later on in the appointment, he was still trying to figure out why he had gained. I noticed however that he was chugging on his water bottle throughout our appointment, so I told him I wanted to weigh him again because I thought his weight would be higher from drinking the water. Sure enough, he went up another pound on the scale just in the half hour he was meeting with me. The point is DO NOT LET THE NUMBER ON THE SCALE worry you! It is normal for your weight to fluctuate 5 pounds in a day! So remember to not worry what the scale says! DRINK YOUR WATER!

Welcome

Welcome to Mike's Total Fitness Club! This blog is dedicated to living, loving, and sharing healthy living! This blog will link directly to Total Health & Fitness, and will be updated by ME (Mike Butler) the president of Total Health & Fitness. SO go ahead and comment as much as you want! Ask me questions and I will answer to my best ability!