LIFT WEIGHTS & AVOID METABOLIC SYNDROME

Frequently influenced by diet and lifestyle, Metabolic Syndrome is a collection of conditions that a person has that increases the risk for several diseases such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes, cancer and a list of others. A diagnosis of Metabolic Syndrome is made when a person has any of the following risk factors:

1.Waist circumference of at least 35 inches for women and at least 40 inches for men.

2. Fasting blood glucose of at least 100mg/dl.

3. Serum Triglycerides of at least 150mg/dl.

4. Blood Pressure of at least 135/85mm/Hg

5. HDL (good cholesterol) lower than 40mg/dl for men or 50mg/dl for women.

Weight training has many benefits. Warding off Metabolic Syndrome may be one of them, suggests a recent study by the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. The findings were reported that among men and women, weight lifting was twice as common among men as it was among women and White Americans were more likely to lift weights than Hispanic Americans. Rates of Metabolic Syndrome were lower among those who lifted weights than those who did not. It is my personal and educated belief that lifting weights does play a role in reducing the prevalence and risk of Metabolic Syndrome among all people. All exercise professionals should strongly encourage the activity of lifting weights among adults of all ages to promote metabolic health. This does not mean you must become a body builder. A weight training program should be designed around you and your fitness goals.

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IS GLUTEN SENSITIVITY PREVENTING YOUR INJURY FROM HEALING?

Gluten sensitivity, what is that you ask. Gluten is a protein found in the endosperm of grains, especially wheat, rye, spelt and barley. It constitutes about 80% of the proteins in wheat, and is composed of the proteins gliadin, and glutenin. Gluten is also used as a food additive in the form of a flavoring, stabilizing or thickening agent found in ice cream, soy sauce, ketchup, beer, and many other food items. Gluten provides elasticity to dough, which gives breads and bagels their chewiness.

It is estimated that somewhere between 3 and 10 million people have gluten sensitivity just in the U.S. alone. That’s a large quantity of people who are over eating food that is inflammatory.

Some of my clients are rehabbing various joint and spinal injuries so it is important to understand that one of the primary ways that gluten affects people is through inflammation.

It’s actually been shown that there are protein components within gluten that can attach to the cartilage and create inflammation in the joints, prolonging knee, hip, shoulder and low back pain. This inflammation not only prolongs an injury, but in some cases pre-disposes a person to injury. The bio-chemistry becomes very important because although exercise is extremely beneficial in rehabilitation remember that the building blocks for the joints, the cartilage, the tendon, the bone, and the muscle come from bio-chemistry. It comes from what we eat directly.

If those foods are promoting an inflammatory process or an inflammatory pathway, then what is actually going to happen is we are not going to have adequate recovery. We see this example many times with professional athletes who are prone to injury. They have the best rehab specialists in the world at their fingertips yet they continue to injure themselves. One of the biggest reasons happens to be some of the food they are eating. Talking specifically about Gluten and how that can effect things.

We know that certain foods like hydrogenated fats create an inflammatory kind of chemistry within the body. We also know that eating a diet high in grains and processed grains causes inflammation in the gut which in turn through bio-chemistry causes inflammation in many other parts of the body. For example; One of my clients was diagnosed by her physician with rheumatoid arthritis. Upon my suggestion, she completely eliminated gluten from her diet. She'd been on numerous prescription drugs (some with awful side effects). The very first day of her gluten-free diet was amazing. After years of hell, her pain and suffering surprisingly disappeared. She stopped taking the drugs and has never looked back. That positive response has also been found in clients with osteoarthritis as well. I know the focus here is joint rehabilitation, but just a side note, I also have a client who was diagnosed with depression and put on anti-depression meds (which are horrible for your body & mind) and with a change to a gluten free diet, she is now off meds and feeling quite happy and normal again.

Here are some conditions related to Gluten Intolerance; (If you have any of these conditions, you may have gluten sensitivity)

Alcoholism, Arthritis, Allergies, Anemia, Brain Fog, Hypothyroid, Candida, Infertility, Depression, Rosacea, IBS, Chronic Fatigue, Diabetes, Eating Disorders, Osteoporosis, Autoimmune Disease, Celiac Disease, Hypoglycemia, Crohn's Disease, Ulcerative Colitis, Gut Inflammation.

Symptoms of gluten intolerance can vary per individual. Children may experience allergies, asthma, anemia, a constant upset stomach, or milk intolerance.

Gluten intolerance is often misdiagnosed or undetected. One estimate says that 97% of all sufferers (non-celiac gluten sensitivity) don’t even know they’re intolerant to gluten since most doctors are unfamiliar with it. Even more astonishing is a review in the New England Journal of Medicine which listed 55 diseases caused by gluten! Many of the diseases are neurological and psychiatric including anxiety, migraines, epilepsy, neuropathy, schizophrenia, dementia, depression, and autism. 

If you have any of the conditions discussed in this article, removing wheat and gluten from your diet should be high on your list of priorities.

BUILDING MUSCLE CUTS DIABETES RISK

A recent study (The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism) found that having a higher muscle mass was associated with better insulin sensitivity and a lower risk of diabetes. In fact it was even mentioned that a very low muscle mass was a risk factor for insulin resistance. So the take home message is to build quality muscle through various types of resistance training. Some of the best muscle-building exercises are push-ups, pull-ups, inverted body weight rows, squats, leg press, deadlifts and bench press and lat pulldowns.

WANT MORE MUSCLE MASS?

Then you need to remember this important point. Progressive Resistance! When you are training, doing the exact same thing for a long time, lifting the same weight for the same number of reps, you will not force the body to adapt in any way. Why should it? After all it 's comfortable stuck in that groove. You have to keep striving to add poundage to the amount of weight that you use, to keep the muscles under constant stimulation. In fact the body will respond more when the weight is increased for the same exercise versus switching up the exercise on a frequent basis. With progressive resistance, don't think this means to add 10 pounds a week to your bench press, it may take a while to make strength increases. Even if you only add 5 pounds a month, your headed in the right direction.

Nine Healthy Foods For A Healthy Weight

        

Lentils. High in protein, lentils can help prevent spikes in insulin levels that can cause your body to store excess fat.

Kale. This leafy green provides fiber, iron and calcium and it is a low calorie way to fill up.

Blueberries. A good source of antioxidants, blueberries have over 3.5 grams of fiber per cup, which can help to fill you up and keep your digestive system running smoothly.

Wild Alaskan salmon. An excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids, salmon can help improve insulin sensitivity, which helps build muscle; the more muscle you have, the more calories your body burns. Sardines are another good omega-3 and protein-rich fish option.

Steel-cut oats. An excellent source of fiber, eating steel-cut oats is a good way to fill up without a lot of calories.

Quinoa. A healthy alternative to white rice, quinoa can help curb hunger via its fiber and protein content.

Apples. A calorie-efficient way to curb hunger, apples contain antioxidants that may help prevent metabolic syndrome, a condition marked by excess belly fat.

Quinoa pasta. Unlike regular white-flour pasta, quioa is high in fiber and contains protein, making it more satiating, so you eat less. Try quinoa noodles in place of spaghetti.

Olive oil and avocados. Both contain heart healthy monounsaturated fats. Many people find that increasing their intake of healthy fats makes them feel fuller while keeping insulin - which helps conduct fat into the cells for storage - low and steady.

HYPOTHYROID

Are you unable to lose weight? Feel anxious or depressed? Experiencing hair loss? Low energy levels? Overly sensitive to cold weather? Is the outer 3rd of your eyebrow thinning? If so, you may have a sluggish thyroid.

Your thyroid is vital to your health and it is the master of your metabolism. It is your body’s internal thermostat, regulating temperature by secreting two hormones, T3 and T4 that control your ability to burn calories and use energy. The thyroid controls your weight, body temperature, heart rate, energy levels, menstrual regularity and muscle strength.

The thyroid gland is a butterfly-shaped, hormone-producing tissue the size of a walnut located at the lower front of the neck just below the Adam’s apple. Every cell in your body needs small amounts of thyroid hormone to function optimally.

Hypothyroidism is a health condition in which there’s insufficient thyroid activity. Approximately 27 million Americans are experiencing a thyroid disorder, and less than 25% of those with an under active thyroid have been properly diagnosed or treated. Some early symptoms are mistaken for fatigue, anxiety, or aging. Untreated hypothyroidism dramatically increases your risk of serious health concerns and degenerative diseases.

Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) is secreted by the pituitary gland in your subconscious brain. In early stages of hypothyroidism, the pituitary gland releases more and more TSH, causing elevated TSH levels. This causes the thyroid to work overtime to secrete more thyroxin (T4) and T3, the biologically active form of thyroid. Most of the T4 produced is converted to T3 by your liver. If the TSH is more than 0.5 and less than 3.0, there is a 90% probability it’s anterior pituitary hypo-function.

Measuring different hormones in the blood can determine if the thyroid gland is working properly. To most effectively screen for hypothyroidism and other thyroid imbalances, request blood tests that also include thyroid antibodies. It’s recommended that all individuals be tested for hypothyroidism by the age of 50 as well as women who are or are planning to become pregnant.

Most doctors only test TSH. TSH alone is not a thorough screening of thyroid function.

One study showed that individuals with TSH values more than 2.0 have an increased risk of developing clinically significant thyroid deficiency over the next 20 years. Other studies show that TSH values more than1.9 indicate risk of autoimmune disease of the thyroid gland. Another study showed that TSH values more than 4.0 increases the likelihood of heart disease in postmenopausal women.

 

Suggested Thyroid Testing

Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH). Beware most all of the so called “normal” ranges, they are simply dead wrong. The ideal level for TSH is between 1 and 1.5 mIU/L.  

                                                                                                                                                               T4 panel

• Free T4 – The normal level of free T4 is between 0.9 and 1.8 ng/dl.
• T4 Thyroxine – optimal levels are 8-12.5
• Free Thyroxine Index – optimal levels are 1.5-5
  

                                    T3 Panel

• Free T3 – Optimal ranges are between 1.8-5.4
• T3 Uptake – optimal levels are 27-37
• T3 Total – optimal ranges are 72-170
• Reverse T3
  

• Thyroid Peroxidase Antibody – optimal ranges are 0-19