Coffee - good or bad?

Coffee is one of the most consumed beverages in the world.  Theres no wonder a search on PubMed will give you almost 9000 research papers on it.  Not only is there a lot of research on coffee, there is a lot of bad research.  It’s actually one of the most misunderstood foods when it comes to deciphering whether it is healthy or un healthy for you.  There is research for and against coffee and tons of experts on one side of the argument or the other. When looking at whether coffee is good for you or not, you really have to take into account what form of coffee you are drinking.

What are the Pros of Drinking Coffee

• Coffee contains antioxidants
• Coffee contains polyphenols that are heart protective
• Coffee helps induce phase I and Phase II detoxification to help the body clean itself.
• Adding organic heavy cream is a healthy source of good saturated fats including CLA which help with optimal metabolism and hormonal function and support a lean body composition.
• Caffeine can increase mental clarity, focus, athletic performance, strength, and fat burning.

What are the Cons of Drinking Coffee

• Caffeine can cause elevated heart rate and increased blood pressure.
• Unfiltered coffee contains chemicals in the oil portion that increase LDL cholesterol.
• Bleached coffee filters can contain chlorine and other toxic chemicals.
• Non-Organic coffee is one of the most sprayed crops and contains lots of pesticides and herbicides that are toxic to the liver, nervous system and increase other health risk.
• Most coffee is made in plastic machines that when heated can release toxic chemicals into the water including BPA and other harmful plasticizers.  Coffee cups and thermoses have the same risk.  Just because a plastic is BPA free does not mean it does not leach other plastics.  Heating plastic of any kind is never a good idea.
• Most Coffee containing beverages are full of high sugar or artificial sweeteners that increase insulin, and negate any health benefits of coffee.
• Using low fat dairy products in skinny and fat free coffee products results in an increase in glycemic effect which leads to fat gain and diabetes.  Low fat dairy also is a major component for increasing the risk of colon cancer.

Overall, coffee consumption is a personal choice. If you want coffee to be healthy, you have to source it, brew it, and drink it properly. Avoid additives like milk and syrups and opt of black, organic coffee. 


Px

See full article here 

Today's Motivation

Metabolism 101

Simply put, metabolism is the process of breaking down proteins, carbohydrates, and fats to yield the energy your body needs to maintain itself. The rate of your metabolism depends on the interaction between the number of calories you consume, the number of calories you burn while eating and exercising, and the calories you burn based on your individual genetic makeup.

How can you increase your metabolism? Well, there’s not much you can do about your genes (they only account for a measly 5% of total daily calorie consumption anyway), which means the best way to rev up your metabolism is to increase your body’s need for energy.

“Your body can burn calories from either fat, protein, or carbs,” says John Berardi, PhD, CSCS, president of Precision Nutrition, and author of The Metabolism Advantage. “Of course, you’d rather it burn fat calories, but your body isn’t wasteful; it will burn fat only when it needs energy.” One such time is during exercise, but it’s difficult to exercise all the time, especially if you’re stuck at a desk all day. Luckily, your body requires extra energy at other times, too, such as during the first hour or two after intense exercise like interval training and weight lifting. This is called the “afterburn” effect, Berardi says, and it can last for up to 24 hours. Strength training with heavier than usual weights uses up energy, too — in order to repair small (healthy) muscle tears.

And simply being more muscular boosts your body’s energy needs. Each extra pound of muscle you carry can burn up to 50 additional calories just to maintain itself — and with no effort on your part. You can also increase your metabolism by eating foods that require extra energy to digest and metabolize; for example, protein. Your body burns twice as many calories digesting high-protein foods as it does foods that are high in carbs or fat, he says.” Muffintopless via WebMD

Px

Insulin, Leptin and Hormones

A great video explain the effect of you diet on insulin and the carry on affects on your hormones. 


What is Insulin?
It's a hormone secreted by the pancreas when it has detected a spike in blood sugar (blood glucose) levels. Insulin helps to process the blood glucose by binding with the body's cells.  Receptors should activate on the cell to absorb the glucose from the blood stream and to be used an energy. 


Insulin Resistance

When the body isn't healthy and the cells receptors don't bind with the insulin, insulin resistance occurs. The body is not responding as well as it could be to the insulin and your pancreases continues to secrete high levels of insulin. Consistently having high levels of insulin released means the blood will have a high glucose level. This results in the body releasing the stress hormone cortisol and the glucose being turned into and stored as fat. 

Negatives of Insulin Resistance

• Low energy
• Higher body fat percentage 
• Lower testosterone levels in men
• Lower lean muscle mass levels
• Low libido

What is Leptin?

A protein made in the body's fat cells, it sends signals to the brain about whether the body has enough energy stored. It helps to control the body's hunger and lets you know when you've had enough to eat. It helps to control the body's energy levels. 

Leptin Resistance
This occurs when leptin sends the wrong signals to the brain or the signals are blocked. If the body think that it is not full even when it is, the result will be overeating and difficulties in loosing weight. 

Managing Insulin Resistance

• Eat well
• Exercise
• Resistance train
• Ensure your'e getting adequate levels of the Omegas
• Chose whole, low GI carbohydrates

Px

References:
http://www.charlespoliquin.com/ArticlesMultimedia/Articles/Article/772/Insulin_Nutrition_and_Your_Health.aspx
http://alternativehealthfortoday.wordpress.com/2010/03/19/insulin-and-leptin-resistance-information-worth-knowing/
http://www.charlespoliquin.com/ArticlesMultimedia/Articles/Article/52/Insulinomics_Improving_Your_Insulin_Sensitivity_an.aspx

Clean Chocolate Protein Pancake

Four Ingredient Chocolate Protein Pancake

• 2 scoops Bodylogix chocolate protein powder
• 1/2 cup egg whites (I use 2 large eggs, which is usually a little shy of a half cup)
• 1 heaping tbsp ground flax seed
• 1 medium banana, mashed

Directions:
Heat up your frying pan, add 1-2 tsp coconut oil, and scoop half the batter (for a large pancake) or 1/4 (for two small) into the heated pan. Cook until brown on one side, then flip it and cook on the other.

Recipe and photo by Lauren Souch

Simple and Complex Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates can be divided into two distinct groups: Simple and complex. The complex carbohydrates are comprised of long chains of sugars and require more time to be digested and broken down in the body. Simple carbs, as the name implies, are made of much shorter chains of sugars and are rapidly digested.


With a few exceptions, like recharging after a very demanding workout, complex carbohydrates are generally a much better choice. The slow digestion rate helps provide energy without the spikes of blood sugar typically associated with the consumption of simple carbs. Slower digestion also helps diminish the chance of an energy crash that often follows a spike.


Here are some great slow-burning carbs to try:

• Oatmeal
• Sweet Potatoes
• Green Vegetables

Px

Full Article: http://www.abbperformance.com/news/grocery-shopping-tips-for-carbohydrates-n1626/ 

Today's Motivation

I apologise for my absence exams combined with a personal training conference and expo (FILEX) i attended last week have meant i've been studying hard and travelling a lot! I've got a few great posts coming up over the next few days but enjoy Today's Motivation in the mean time! 


Px