Health & Fitness – 15 Tips and Benefits to Get the Best of You
August 20, 2009
Filed under Diet And Nutrition
Exercise, workouts, wellness some of those words are familiar for you.
But how many times have you heard or said these:
- I've no time!
- I live in a hurry every day!
- I'm too busy to exercise!
- I don't know where to start!
- Tomorrow I begin!…often never
No excuse is valid; it isn't necessary to make big trainings or running marathons to have the best health possible…if you're a foodie (like me too), there're so many temptations..sometimes is a bit tricky.. but certainly you can achieve it
With small changes in your home or office you can beat your sedentary lifestyle!
Lets talk clear: foodies prefer to eat than to make exercise …but you know I'm an amateur-personal trainer (for my friends, relatives and occasionally people I don't know…) and some of the no-phrases said before were also in my mouth as a food lover
I don't give the example of a friend that we begun to train together various years ago, she was with an overweight of more than 55 pounds (25 kgs).
The nutritionist told her that in 1 year you can download doing exercise and eating healthy…in only in 3 months got a normal weight, she was less tired and guess what.. eating more but in a balance way!
In a series of articles on health, nutrition and sports I'm going to expose some health guides, tips & tricks from a foodie point of view -beginning from less to more- you'll see significant progress, actually you'll be astonished
With Regular Physical Activity, Good Hydration & Eating Reasonably You Win:
1.-Prevent heart diseases
2.-Control and improve your blood pressure
3.-Preventing and combating diabetes (potential problem of sweet lovers)
4.-Lose weight – a delicious bonus that always come very good! Practically it's an epidemic disease in the developed world, in both adults and children
5.-Help to fight depression, anxiety, improving your mood (for the natural endorphins, substances secreted by the body during exercise)
6.-Prevent lumbar and lower back injuries; in hands and feet too (typical of runners with potential falls & sprains…I ate some, but with exercise I've minimized them)
7.-Prevention of brain problems (more oxygen in your brain is always good)
8.-Improve your self-esteem and you'll lower your stress also
9.-Improves your sleep
And the list could go on and on!!
If you aren't accustomed to have an exercise plan, you can start adding a little more movement into your daily life:
10.-In the morning or when you can, stretch your muscles.
11.-In buildings why you don't use the stairways instead of the elevator (if you aren’t hurried) for example stop the elevator 1 floor before reaching your destination. Quick and easy…
12.-Walk for 10 minutes at least 3 times a day (Read your favorite food blogs and later walk
13.-When shopping or doing some tasks, park your car a few blocks before your destiny and walk.
14.-If you use public transport, pick it some blocks before or get off a few blocks to your destiny (if the day is nice there is no excuse)
15.-Dance! While you listen music dance, it's an excellent aerobic exercise (if you're at your office take care… unless you're a super dancer
After you've passed certain sedentary habits, I'll be increasing the types and classes of exercises, explain different appropriated healthy foods and useful tips…I assure you from my personal experience, you won't believe it!
Note: Before start to do some "exercise" is a must to get a visit to your doctor! Yes, I'm pretty sure that you already knew it
I'm very interested to hear your opinions and comments about this health theme.
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Runners who don’t train well can have marathon of miseries
Today, as an estimated 20,000 runners begin their mad dash from Hopkinton to Boston, Dr. Malissa Wood, a cardiologist, four-time marathoner, and codirector of the Massachusetts General Hospital Women's Cardiovascular Health Center, will be setting up shop in the corner of the medical tent at the finish line.
As soon as they're finished, about 25 amateur runners will stroll or hobble over to Wood's corner to let her take a sample of their blood. They will also get a noninvasive test to see how well their hearts are working after the stress of running for about four hours. And, as they have done every year since 2003, Wood and her Mass. General colleagues will compare these postrace test results to the prerace exams done two weeks earlier.
The Mass. General findings on Boston marathoners — three published papers to date and two pending — are sobering and lend support to the idea that while moderate exercise is perhaps the most important thing a person can do for health, taking it to extremes, like a marathon, may be dangerous.
Among marathon runners, the biggest cardiac risk seems to arise in people who train the least. People who worked up to a marathon by running at least 45 miles a week for at least three to four months ''were golden. They didn't get into any trouble at all," said Wood. ''If they trained less than 35 miles a week, they were in big trouble."
Translated for the rest of us, this means that for people who are not in peak shape ''sudden, strenuous activity can trigger a heart attack," said Dr. Arthur Siegel, a 20-time marathoner and director of internal medicine at Harvard's McLean Hospital in Belmont.
Roughly 450,000 Americans run in marathons every year. And 325,000 do triathlons, which involves swimming, biking, and running, according to USA Triathlon, the sport's organizing body. Many of these are not well-trained athletes but newcomers who race to raise money for charities. That means, said Siegel, that in many such events, participants ''are getting older and slower. That's where the cardiac risk comes in, especially for middle-aged men with previously silent heart disease."
Moderation is the key, said Dr. Harvey Simon, an avid runner, former marathoner, Mass. General internist, and author of ''The No Sweat Exercise Plan," which advocates very moderate exercise — even as moderate as gardening and housework — instead of extreme exertion like marathoning.
''The greatest hazard of exercise is not doing it," said Simon.
''I used to preach 'No pain, no gain,' but now I say, ''No pain, big gain,' " he said. The whole ''aerobics doctrine" that a person needs a lot of strenuous exercise ''inspired the few but discouraged the many," he said. Even walking at the extremely leisurely pace of half an hour per mile has benefits.
Study after study has shown that moderate, regular exercise can indeed reduce the risk of heart disease, diabetes, stroke, hip fracture, and some kinds of cancer.
But exercising moderately takes patience and persistence. If you have not been exercising regularly, you should work up over several weeks to walking 45 minutes a day at least five days a week, said exercise physiologist Kerry Stewart at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.
At first you may have to stop every few minutes and rest, he said. That's fine — just start up again. If you get chest pains or severe shortness of breath, of course, stop and call your doctor. If you have heart disease or have had a heart attack, check with your doctor before starting or substantially increasing your workouts.
You shouldn't underdo exercise, but you shouldn't overdo it, either. Chronic fatigue, trouble sleeping, muscle tiredness, nagging congestion or sore throat, persistent aches and pains, and depression are common signs that you may be working out too hard, said Siegel. To avoid this, try not to increase your exercise duration or intensity by more than 10 percent over any two-week period.
The easiest way to gauge whether you're working hard enough is to use the ''sing/talk test": Work hard enough that you can't sing but can talk.
Experienced athletes ''know how delicate the balance is between training to obtain optimal performance and overtraining to the point where muscle function begins to deteriorate," said Dr. Christopher Cooper, an exercise physiologist at UCLA. But for amateurs, finding that balance point can be hard.
As for marathoners, Wood and her Mass. General colleagues have found that running 26.2 miles can lead to clear signs of cardiac stress. They have found that cardiac troponin, a chemical that shows up in blood tests only when heart muscle is damaged, rises in 60 percent of runners, and in some, it rises so high that ''if you had just looked at these scores, these people would have been admitted to the hospital for heart attacks," Wood said.
They've found that another chemical, BNP, or brain natriuretic peptide, another red flag for cardiac dysfunction, goes up after a marathon in 60 percent of runners. Platelets also become activated and more likely to form the clots that can trigger heart attacks, according to a just-published paper by Siegel and Alexander Kratz, director of the hematology lab at Mass. General. And, as shown on echocardiograms, the heart's ability to relax after each beat remains impaired for at least several weeks in most marathoners.
Bottom line? You don't have to run a marathon to get into good shape. Just put on comfortable shoes, get out, and walk. Moderately. And consistently.
Runners’ High Demonstrated: Brain Imaging Shows Release Of Endorphins In Brain
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| Researchers have succeeded in demonstrating the existence of an 'endorphin driven runner's high'. (Credit: Arzt-Läufer, Image courtesy of University of Bonn) |
ScienceDaily – Throughout the world, amateurs, experts and the media agree that prolonged jogging raises people's spirits. And many believe that the body's own opioids, so called endorphins, are the cause of this. But in fact this has never been proven until now. Researchers at the Technische Universität München and the University of Bonn succeeded in demonstrating the existence of an 'endorphin driven runner's high'. In an imaging study they were able to show, for the first time, increased release of endorphins in certain areas of the athletes' brains during a two-hour jogging session.
These results are also relevant for patients suffering from chronic pain, because the body's own opiates are produced in areas of the brain which are involved in the suppression of pain.
Runner's high
Endurance sports have long been seen as reducing stress, relieving anxiety, enhancing mood and decreasing the perception of pain. The high that accompanies jogging even led to the creation of its own term, 'runner's high'. Yet the cause of these positive effects on the senses was not clear until now. The most popular theory was and still is the 'Endorphin Hypothesis', which claimed that there was increased production of the body's own opioids in the brain. However, since until now direct proof of this theory could not be provided; for technical reasons, it was a constant source of controversial discussions in scientific circles. The result was that the myth of 'runner's high through endorphins' lived on.
Endorphin hypothesis confirmed
Scientists from the fields of Nuclear Medicine, Neurology and Anaesthesia at the Technische Universität München (TUM) and the University of Bonn have now subjected the endorphin theory to closer scrutiny. Ten athletes were scanned before and after a two-hour long-distance run using an imaging technique called positron emission tomography (PET). For this they used the radioactive substance [18F]diprenorphine ([18F]FDPN), which binds to the opiate receptors in the brain and hence competes with endorphins.
'The more endorphins are produced in the athlete's brain, the more opiate receptors are blocked,' says Professor Henning Boecker, who coordinated the research at TUM and who is now in charge of the 'Functional Neuroimaging Group' at the Dept. of Radiology, University Hospital Bonn. And further: 'Respectively the opioid receptor binding of the [18F]FDPN decreases, since there is a direct competition between endorphins in the brain and the injected ligand'.
By comparing the images before and after two hours of long distance running the study could demonstrate a significantly decreased binding of the [18F]FDPN-ligand. This is a strong argument in favour of an increased production of the body's own opioids while doing long-distance running. 'We could validate for the first time an endorphin driven runner's high and identify the affected brain areas', states Boecker. 'It's interesting to see that the affected brain areas were preferentially located in prefrontal and limbic brain regions which are known to play a key role in emotional processing. Moreover, we observed a significant increase of the euphoria and happiness ratings compared to the ratings before the running exercise.'
Professor Thomas Tölle, who for several years has been head of a research group called 'Functional Imaging of Pain' at TU Munich, adds: 'Our evaluations show that the more intensively the high is experienced, the lower the binding of [18F]FDPN was in the PET scan. And this means that the ratings of euphoria and happiness correlated directly with the release of the endorphins.' This has clear implications for those who suffer from chronic pain. 'The fact that the endorphins are also released in areas of the brain that are at the centre of the suppression of pain was not quite unexpected, but even this proof was missing. Now we hope that these images will also impress our pain patients and will motivate them to take up sports training within their available limits,' he concluded.
Running down the pain?
It is well known that endorphins facilitate the body's own pain suppression by influencing the way the body passes on pain and processes it in the nervous system and brain. The increased production of endorphins resulting from long-distance running could also serve as the body's own pain-killer, a potent potential therapeutic option. 'Now we are very curious about the results of an imaging study using Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging which we are currently carrying out in Bonn in order to investigate the influence of long-distance running on the processing of pain directly,' Professor Boecker says.
Further research is required so as to investigate the exact effects on depression and states of anxiety but also on possible aspects which may promote addiction. That is why the relation between genetic disposition and opiate receptor distribution in the brain is being currently investigated at TU Munich. 'A scary thought,' Thomas Tölle comments, 'if we ran because our genes wanted us to do so.' The first step towards researching these connections has now been made.
The results of the study " The Runner's High: Opioidergic Mechanisms in the Human Brain" are published in the journal 'Cerebral Cortex'. This research was supported by the German Research Association, as well as the Federal Ministry of Education and Research and the German Association of Neuropathic Pain.
Recovery strategies to enhance performance and reduce injury
July 29, 2009
Filed under Diet And Nutrition, Outdoors Activities
| By Shawn Talbot, PhD. | ||
| In the realm of elite sport, scientists, coaches and athletes are aware that a hallmark of top-level athletic performance is an outstanding ability to recover from intense workouts and competition. And understanding how nutrition is linked to recovery is essential. For trail runners, full recovery after a big day pounding the dirt is often the difference between staying healthy and injury free or being stuck indoors due to illness or chronic pain.
The Downside to a Good Workout An ideal recovery strategy involves immediately replacing what your body lost during exercise through proper recovery nutrition. Nutritional Recovery Triad Since it can be difficult to drink enough during long, intense sessions, assume your body is dehydrated post-run and drink more than your thirst demands. Electrolyte beverages with a low sugar concentration are superior to water in the body’s ability to absorb and retain the fluid. Despite the wide variety of bars, gels and beverages, the bottom line is to select something that tastes good and your stomach can tolerate. A post-exercise snack immediately replaces the sugar stores burned off during exercise. Consuming carbohydrates and protein in liquid form (such as one-percent chocolate milk) is a convenient way to refuel and rehydrate simultaneously. As a rule of thumb, consume around 300 to 500 carbohydrate calories as soon as possible following exercise. Great snacks are banana with yogurt, a handful of nuts and an apple or a bowl of whole-grain cereal topped with berries and one-percent milk. Wash down solid food with plenty of water or sports drink. While rehydration and glycogen replacement replaces what your body lost, biochemical balancing restores the body’s chemistry to normal levels. Exercise-induced inflammation and oxidation damages muscles, lung tissue and temporarily suppresses the immune system. Until you have rested, you are at increased risk of colds, flu and other respiratory tract infections, injuries such as tendonitis, strains, stress fractures and overtraining which characterized by lethargy, depression and general moodiness. Anti-oxidant-rich berries (blueberries, blackberries and raspberries), most fruit juices (orange, grape, and apple) and dietary supplements containing flavonoids and inflammation-reducing enzymes help repair tissues. Foods containing these nutrients are pineapple and papaya, roasted soy nuts and other soy products containing immune-balancing beta-sitosterol. Powerful Protein Protein is made up of amino acids and is essential for rebuilding damaged muscle tissue and restoring immune system function. Protein-packed foods, such as milk or yogurt (non low-fat varieties) or a palm-sized portion of beef, poultry, fish or legumes (beans), provide amino-acid building blocks for tissue repair. The immune system uses proteins made up of glutamine and the three branched chain amino acids (BCAA) as fuel. Whey protein, found in some post-exercise recovery drinks and dairy products, is a decent source of all four essential amino acids, but some studies suggest that amino acid uptake is faster when consumed as isolated nutrients in the form of dietary supplements. Look for products that deliver effective levels of BCAAs (1500mg) and glutamine (1000mg) in the proper ratios for post-exercise immune system support. Don’t fall for the "more is better" gimmick, but instead look for products that back up their formulations with research studies on runners. All protein-containing foods will have some BCAAs and glutamine, but dairy products (because of their whey component) are a particularly good food source. Recovery-enhancing nutrition may be the most reliable method to improve your trail running. Don’t just eat something after coming off the trail; instead, give some thought to "functional eating." When to Eat What Evening Post-Workout Meal Over the Next Week Before the Next Big Outing Shawn Talbott holds a PhD in nutritional biochemistry and MS in Exercise Science, and practices recovery principles after his trail runs in Utah’s Wasatch Mountains. He can be reached at smtalbott@supplementwatch.com. |
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Jogging or cycling through middle age can delay aging by 12 years
July 28, 2009
Filed under Outdoors Activities, Running
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| Exercise: Cycling can hold back the years |
By JENNY HOPE
Taking regular aerobic exercise could stop the biological clock and delay ageing by up to 12 years, claim researchers.
Keeping fit by jogging or cycling through middle age and beyond slows and even reverses the decline in muscle power, balance and co-ordination in later life.
Without regular workouts, maximum aerobic power falls in men by up to half between the ages of 20 and 60.
Women begin to lose fitness aged around 35, with aerobic power also falling by up to half by the age of 60.
Eventually, everyday activities become "intolerably fatiguing" for older men and women, says the study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.
But cardiovascular training – which strengthens the heart and lungs – would compensate for the onset of middle age, when the body's capacity to use oxygen and generate energy falls with each passing decade.
And it has the added bonus of prolonging physical independence in old age, according to physical education experts at Toronto University.
They were exploring the idea, first put forward by them 20 years ago, that one of the most important factors influencing the quality of life in old people was the maintenance of sufficient "aerobic power".
Scroll down for more …
The latest study analysed existing research to discover how far the benefits of training last into old age.
It found that relatively high-intensity aerobic exercise over a relatively long period of time could boost maximal aerobic power by 25 per cent.
Dr Roy Shephard, of the university's faculty of physical education and health, said long-term aerobic training can maintain or restore aerobic power in later life.
The effect is the equivalent of turning back the biological clock for older people by up to 12 years, he added.
He said: "A regular exercise programme can slow or reverse the loss of aerobic fitness, reducing the individual's biological age and prolonging independence."
In the UK, most people do not exercise five times a week for 30 minutes or more – the Government's official recommendation for maximum health benefits.
The level of exertion should be enough to raise the heart rate to 120 beats a minute or higher, which includes a brisk walk and swimming.
But taking a stroll or even doing the gardening is also regarded as healthy activity.
A recent survey revealed at least one-quarter of men and women take no moderate or vigorous physical activity.
Other evidence shows regular activity cuts the risk of a range of health problems including diabetes, depression and heart disease. It also reduces the chances of premature death from any illness.
‘Superfoods’ Everyone Needs to Stay Alive and Healthy
May 23, 2009
Filed under Diet And Nutrition
Experts say dozens of easy-to-find ‘superfoods’ can help ward off heart disease, cancer, cholesterol, and more.
Imagine a superfood — not a drug — powerful enough to help you lower your cholesterol, reduce your risk of heart disease and cancer, and, for an added bonus, put you in a better mood. Did we mention that there are no side effects? You’d surely stock up on a lifetime supply. Guess what? These life-altering superfoods are available right now in your local supermarket.
"The effect that diet can have on how you feel today and in the future is astounding," says nutritionist Elizabeth Somer, author of Nutrition for aHealthy Pregnancy, Food & Mood, and The Essential Guide to Vitamins and Minerals.
"Even people who are healthy can make a few tweaks and the impact will be amazing," Somer says. "I’d say that 50% to 70% of suffering could be eliminated by what people eat and how they move: heart disease, diabetes, cancer, hypertension can all be impacted."
You don’t need specific foods for specific ailments. A healthy diet incorporating a variety of the following superfoods will help you maintain your weight, fight disease, and live longer. One thing they all have in common: "Every superfood is going to be a ‘real’ (unprocessed) food," Somer points out. "You don’t find fortified potato chips in the superfood category."
Top Superfoods Offering Super Health Protection
- Beans
- Blueberries
- Broccoli
- Oats
- Oranges
- Pumpkin
- Salmon
- Soy
- Spinach
- Tea (green or black)
- Tomatoes
- Turkey
- Walnuts
- Yogurt
Blueberries — Antioxidant Superfood
Packed with antioxidants and phytoflavinoids, these berries are also high in potassium and vitamin C, making them the top choice of doctors and nutritionists. Not only can they lower your risk of heart disease and cancer, they are also anti-inflammatory.
"Inflammation is a key driver of all chronic diseases, so blueberries have a host of benefits," says Ann Kulze, MD, of Charleston, S.C., author of Dr. Ann’s 10-Step Diet, A Simple Plan for Permanent Weight Loss & Lifelong Vitality. When selecting berries, note that the darker they are, the more anti-oxidants they have. "I tell everyone to have a serving (about 1/2 cup) every day," Dr. Kulze says. "Frozen are just as good as fresh." Be sure to include lots of other fruits and vegetables in your diet as well. Remember too that, in general, the more color they have, the more antioxidants.
Omega 3-Rich Fish — Superfoods for the Heart, Joints, and Memory
"We know that the omega 3s you get in fish lower heart disease risk, help arthritis, and may possibly help with memory loss and Alzheimer’s," Somer says. "There is some evidence to show that it reduces depression as well."
Omega-3s are most prevalent in fatty, cold-water fish: Look for wild (not farmed) salmon, herring, sardines, and mackerel. Aim for two-to-three servings a week. Other forms of omega 3s are available in fortified eggs, flax seed, and walnuts. These superfoods have the added benefit of being high in monounsaturated fats, which can lower cholesterol.
Soy — Superfood to Lower Cholesterol
A study reported in The Journal of the American Medical Association (2003) showed that a diet of soy fiber, protein from oats and barley, almonds, and margarine from plant sterols lowered cholesterol as much as statins, the most widely prescribed cholesterol medicine. "Look for tofu, soy milk, or edamame — not soy powder," says Somer. In other words, soy sauce won’t do the trick. One caveat: If you have a family history of breast cancer it is not recommended that you eat extra soy.
Fiber — Superfood Aids Weight Loss and Checks Cholesterol
A diet high in fiber will help you maintain healthy cholesterol and blood sugar levels. As a bonus, because fiber helps you feel full longer, it’s a great tool in weight management. Whole grains, beans, fruit, and vegetables are all good sources. Try throwing some beans in your salad, recommends Kulze. "Fresh, frozen, or dried are the best. You can use canned, but they tend to be higher in sodium," Kulze warns.
Tea — Superfood for Lowering Cholesterol and Inhibiting Cancer
"The overall antioxidant power of black tea is the same as green tea," says Kulze, "but green tea does have ECGC, a powerful antioxidant that we really do think is quite special." A recent Japanese study on green tea found that men who drank green tea regularly had lower cholesterol than those who didn’t. Researchers in Spain and the United Kingdom have also shown that ECGC can inhibit the growth of cancer cells. For a double health whammy, replace sugary sodas with tea.
Calcium
OK, OK, you know the drill: Calcium helps build strong bones and prevents osteoporosis. Look for it in dairy products or supplements. Added bonus: Some studies show that calcium helps with weight loss. Here are the calcium levels recommended for adults by the USDA:
- Age 9 to 18 — 1,300 mg
- Age 19 to 50 — 1,000 mg
- Age 51 and over — 1,200 mg
And Finally, the Yummiest Superfood Yet … Dark Chocolate
New research has shown that dark chocolate is packed with antioxidants and can lower blood pressure. Kulze recommends that you look for chocolate with 60% or higher cocoa content; the darker, the better. In addition, the darker it is, the lower the fat and sugar content. Now that’s our kind of health food!
Top Weight Loss With Cleansing Diet
May 17, 2009
Filed under Diet And Nutrition
Chances are you never give much thought to your colon. Colon health is just one of those things you may hear about occasionally on the TV in some health report. You would probably rather change the channel than think about it. Most people feel this way until something goes wrong. Neglecting this important area of your digestive system can have unpleasant and potentially life-threatening consequences. Poor colon health can increase your chances of having colon cancer. The colon must be functioning properly to insure good health, and a cleansing diet can be the first step.
Everyday we are ingesting harmful toxins into our bodies. These are found in the food we eat, the air we breathe and the liquids we drink. Pesticides, additives and preservatives in our foods collect in our systems along with pollution, household cleaners and even pleasant fragrances. In and of themselves they may not be harmful, but continued exposure can take its toll on the body as they accumulate. They must be cleansed from the body so as not have long-term serious repercussions. You can add ingredients to your diet to assist with this process.
Some symptoms of an unhealthy colon can include constipation, diarrhea, back pain, swollen legs, high blood pressure, fatigue and depression. These are a result of unwanted build up of matter in the colon over periods of time. Some things we ingest simply hang around instead of being expelled. Some studies have determined that some of us have up to 20 pounds of it inside the colon at any given time. A cleansing diet and supplements will cleanse your body of this material. Along with the fiber you should be consuming add Bentonite and Psyllium husks and freshly squeezed juices to facilitate the process. Bentonite absorbs toxins while the Psyllium flushes out the unwanted matter.
The benefits of a cleansing diet include weight loss, improved energy, clearer complexion, fewer aches and pains, better circulation and a better mood. If your digestive system is in top working order, the rest of your body systems will respond accordingly. Cultures across the globe have known the benefits of cleansing for many centuries. Many have used this healthful practice in preparation for spiritual ceremonies – clean body, clean mind. It may not be the most pleasant topic to think about, but it is vitally important we keep this area of our bodies free of toxins and blockage for overall health.
Atkins Diet Basics
May 17, 2009
Filed under Diet And Nutrition
The Atkins diet is not a new phenomenon. The diet first appeared in the late 1970s and has grown popularity in recent years in response to the low-fat diet craze. As dieters had trouble with low-fat plans, they searched for a new solution and Dr. Atkins’ New Diet Revolution book found a new audience.
A lot of people have jumped on the Atkins bandwagon and there has been a lot of hype as a result. But what are the basic principles of the Atkins diet?
The Atkins diet is based on a theory of why we get fat. According to Dr. Atkins, the over-consumption of carbohydrates and simple sugars leads to weight gain. The way your body processes the carbohydrates you eat have more to do with your waistline than the amount of fat or calories that you consume. In his book, Atkins outlines a phenomenon called “insulin resistance.” He theorizes that many overweight people have cells that do not work correctly.
When you eat excess carbohydrates and sugar, your body notices that sugar levels are elevated. Insulin is released from the pancreas in order to store sugar as glycogen in the liver and muscle cells for extra energy later on. However, your body can only store so much glycogen at once. As soon as your body reaches its limit for glycogen storage, the excess carbohydrates are stored as fat. This happens to everyone who eats too many carbohydrates.
However, insulin resistant individuals have an even harder time of using and storing excess carbohydrates. The more insulin that your body is exposed to, the more resistant it becomes. Overtime, the pancreas releases more insulin and cells become insulin resistant. The cells are trying to protect themselves from the toxic effects of high insulin. They create less glycogen and more fat.
As a result, insulin resistant individuals gain extra weight. The carbohydrates get converted into fat instead of energy. Other side effects include fatigue, brain “fog” (the inability to focus, poor memory, loss of creativity), low blood sugar (which can leads to hypoglycemia), intestinal bloating, sleepiness, depression and increased blood sugar. There is much more than weight at stake when you are insulin resistant.
The remedy for people who are insulin resistant is a diet restricted in carbohydrates. The crux of the Atkins diet is a limitation of carbohydrates in all of its forms. The foods restricted on the Atkins plan include simple sugars (like cookies, sodas and sweets) and complex carbohydrates (like bread, rice and grains). Even carbohydrates that are considered healthy, such as oatmeal, brown rice and whole wheat bread, are restricted on the program.
The diet has you restrict your carbohydrate intake to less than 40 grams a day. This will put your body in a state of ketosis. While in ketosis, your body will burn fat as fuel. According to Dr. Atkins’ research, the ketosis state will also affect insulin production and it will prevent more fat from being formed. Your body will begin using your stored fat as an efficient form of fuel, and you’ll lose weight.
Another benefit of the Atkins plan is that ketosis will end your cravings for carbohydrates. If you’ve been living on a carb-heavy diet, you may have found that you simply cannot get enough carbohydrates. With carbohydrate restriction and ketosis comes a reduction in carbohydrate cravings. People who have been on the Atkins diet for some time report that they do not crave carbohydrates as they once did.
Although the initial phases of the Atkins diet are rather strict, the program teaches you to restore balance to your diet in the long run. People who use the diet slowly reintroduce minimal amounts of carbohydrate into their eating until they find a comfortable balance between their health and carbohydrate use.
The basic principles of the Atkins diet have been adapted to many other low-carb diet plans. However, Atkins popularity still remains strong as one of the most effective low-carbohydrate solutions for those who are insulin resistant.
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