Garma On Health » Energy

Why It’s Critical that You Muscle Up as You Age

Joe Garma — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 08:11:54 +0000

The Biggest Loser Nutritionist, Cheryl Forberg takes you through the reasons why building and maintaining muscle at any age is critical to living a long and vital life. There’s three ways that muscles relate to aging well, and three factors that make us lose muscle as we age.

HERE’S A SHOUT-OUT to Cheryl Forberg RD, Nutritionist for NBC’s The Biggest Loser, for her article Why Strong (Muscle Mass) is Sexy, because people need to know that retaining/building muscle and strength is a vital part to aging well.

Without adequate muscle, living long and strong, as I like to say, is less probable.

Ms. Forberg posits the question: “What do muscle mass and strength have to do with how well we age?” The answer touches on three things: 1. Activity level, 2. Metabolism, and 3. Fat.

Now before I get into these three, here’s why you should care about your level of muscle and strength even if you’re still young age. Right now you may be under 30, but someday hopefully you’ll be over 30, and after you reach 30, three to eight percent of your muscle mass erodes each decade. By the time you reach 60 years of age, the muscle loss accelerates.

If you’re not doing resistance training to slow down or maintain muscle mass, you’re heading for a sessile, constrained, slow-moving, injury prone, lackluster middle age and beyond.

So, listen up… here are the three ways muscle/strength relates to how well we age:

1. Activity Level

Remember all the running around (literally) you did as a whippersnapper? All the sports and activities you enjoyed? This movement required muscle. If you don’t maintain it as you grow older, shifting from side to side on your couch will be an Olympian effort. And as you know, the less you do, the less muscle you need to do it; unexercised, unloved, it just fades away.

One other point for those of you concerned about bone density… the strength of your muscles is related to the strength of your bones, and most any activity is going to be done better if your bones are strong.

Ms. Forberg points out:

“Women are likely more focused on keeping their bones dense and strong than on maintaining their muscles, because the medical establishment, society and the media have put more focus on preventing osteoporosis. However, when your muscles are weak, your bones are more likely to be weak.”

2. Metabolism

Muscle burns calories. Just sitting there, doing nada, muscle consumes more of the calories you pile into your body than would otherwise be used. If you ate less as your muscles atrophied, perhaps it would all equal out. But you don’t, or speaking for myself, I don’t, and so muscle-building is maintained as my life-long discipline.

3. Fat

Surely, when metabolism level declines, all other things being equal – like the number of calories consumed – fat happens. But the body is a complicated thing where nothing happens by itself or in isolation, and so it’s not just a slower metabolism that contributes to making us fatter as we get older and our ignored muscles vacate the premises. Insulin does us in as well.

The insulin effect happens this way… Muscles consume glucose (blood sugar) big time, but glucose needs insulin in order to enter cells and be used as energy. If your muscle mass erodes but the amount of blood sugar stays the same, there’s less capacity to use it and you become insulin resistant. This puts you at greater risk for Type 2 diabetes, which in turn raises your risk of heart disease, stroke and, perhaps, Alzheimer’s.

Maintaining Muscle

The good news is that declining muscle isn’t just an unpreventable fact of aging. Declining muscle is merely a result of you no longer challenging your muscles. What you don’t use, you lose.

No excuses – even people in their 90s can show impressive strength gains with exercise.

Again, Ms. Forberg:

“As you age, a number of changes occur in your skeletal muscles, which are the ones that move your arms, your legs and the rest of your body. You lose muscle mass — you simply have less of the stuff. Your nervous system becomes less efficient at prompting your muscles to move. Fat and connective tissue start developing within your muscles, leaving less muscle tissue to contract to move your body.”

We touched on the three ways muscle and strength relate to aging. Now, here are three factors that contribute to declining muscles as the years unfold:

1. Lack of Use

Young, old or in between, if you don’t use your muscle, you’ll lose it. Surely you’ve noted what studies demonstrate: even young people’s muscle mass and strength quickly deteriorate when confined to bed rest.

Building or maintaining muscle requires resistance training. To keep your legs strong (bone and muscle), you don’t have to load a barbell with weights and squat yourself to a hernia. Rather, walk hills, and/or just squat with your hands out in front of you or on your hips.

To keep your upper body strong (bone and muscle), you don’t have to join a gym, lie on a bench and lift a barbell off your chest. Rather, do push-ups. If you can’t do any or many with your legs straight behind you and balanced on your hands and feet, then balance between hands and knees. (Just don’t let your mid section slump so that your pelvis hits the floor first, or let your head droop so low that your nose touches the floor whilst your chest is still 12 inches above it.)

[Watch my rather entertaining, if embarrassing, attempt to demonstrate how to get a full body resistance and aerobic workout at home without any equipment here at the Homestead Workout.]

2. Insufficient Protein

The current RDA (Recommended Daily Allowance) for protein — the amount that people are supposed to get each day — is 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight for adults. So if you weigh 200 pounds (91 kilograms), you need 73 grams of protein daily.

How to get it? I recommend you do it the way I do… fish, some diary, eggs and protein supplementation, such as whey protein. (See Diet 101.)

The “Biggest Loser” plan strives for getting 30 percent of your daily calories from lean protein 45 percent from complex carbs and 25 percent from good (omega-3) fats.

3. Hormonal Changes

The ladies on hormone replacement therapy (HRT) may know firsthand that extra estrogen can cause a weight gain in fat, not muscle. It’s certainly in your best interest to discuss the estrogen and progesterone balance of your HRT with your doctor. Review with him/her a good exercise routine, and if you’re an exercise neophyte, do yourself a favor and begin your exercise life under the guidance of a personal trainer. A good one is truly worth it.

Well, that’s it… the bottom line: Muscle does a body good!

The “Green Thing”

Joe Garma — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 21:03:26 +0000

In many ways, we were more “green” decades ago, before everything was mechanized, automated, made easy. Some things were just better, healthier and more green in the past.

IN THE past, I’ve shared on these pages an email or two that I get sent to me — you know… those ones that make the rounds to many of us, such as this one about the resiliency of the Japanese people.

Today, I received another one of these emails that’s worth sharing. It’s subject is, “The Green Thing”, and it humorously illustrates how much more natural and “green” society was relative to our personal habits then now.

You’ll get what I’m saying, just read on…

“The Green Thing”

In the line at the store, the cashier told the older woman that plastic bags weren’t good for the environment. The woman apologized to herand explained, “We didn’t have the green thing back in my day.”

That’s right, they didn’t have the green thing in her day. Back then, they returned their milk bottles, Coke bottles and beer bottles to the store. The store sent them back to the plant to be washed and sterilized and refilled, using the same bottles over and over. So they really were recycled.

But they didn’t have the green thing back her day.

In her day, they walked up stairs, because they didn’t have an escalator in every store and office building. They walked to the grocery store and didn’t climb into a 300-horsepower machine every time they had to go two
blocks.

But she’s right. They didn’t have the green thing in her day.

Back then, they washed the baby’s diapers because they didn’t have the throw-away kind. They dried clothes on a line, not in an energy gobbling machine burning up 220 volts – wind and solar power really did dry the clothes. Kids got hand-me-down clothes from their brothers or sisters,
not always brand-new clothing.

But that old lady is right, they didn’t have the green thing back in her day.

Back then, they had one TV, or radio, in the house – not a TV in every room. And the TV had a small screen the size of a pizza dish, not a screen the size of the state of Montana. In the kitchen, they blended and stirred by hand because they didn’t have electric machines to
do everything for you. When they packaged a fragile item to send in the mail, they used wadded up newspaper to cushion it, not styrofoam or plastic bubble wrap.

Back then, they didn’t fire up an engine and burn gasoline just to cut the lawn. They used a push mower that ran on human power. They exercised by working so they didn’t need to go to a health club to run on treadmills that operate on electricity.

But she’s right, they didn’t have the green thing back then.

They drank from a fountain when they were thirsty, instead of using a cup or a plastic bottle every time they had a drink of water. They refilled pens with ink, instead of buying a new pen, and they replaced the razor blades in a razor instead of throwing away the whole razor just because the blade got dull.

But they didn’t have the green thing back then.

Back then, people took the streetcar and kids rode their bikes to school or rode the school bus, instead of turning their moms into a 24-hour taxi service. They had one electrical outlet in a room, not an entire bank of sockets to power a dozen appliances. And they didn’t need a computerized gadget to receive a signal beamed from satellites 2,000 miles out in space in order to find the nearest pizza joint.

But isn’t it sad that they didn’t have the green thing back then?

Metabolism’s Role in Burning Body Fat

Joe Garma — Sun, 19 Sep 2010 20:44:29 +0000

How calories are used by the body can be confusing. Metabolism, thermogenesis, age, gender, and physical activity all play important roles.

METABOLISM — the process by which your body converts what you eat and drink into energy – is popularly regarded as the key reason for you being thin or fat. We like to distill things down into simple terms or concepts. A world painted either black or white is definitive and easier to navigate.

So, is the real difference between those who are overweight and the skinny beans simply a matter of metabolism? The skinny simply burn up their calories cause of God’s gift of a “fast” metabolism?

Let’s dig into this a bit. I’m inspired to address this metabolism issue after having read the Editor-in-Chief of SELF magazine, Lucy Danziger’s article called, 7 Tricks to a Speedier Metabolism. My sense is that her “tricks” (listed below) are worth knowing about and implementing, but they do not necessarily act mainly on metabolism.

Let’s turn to the Mayo Clinic for clarity, which says this here:

“…contrary to common belief, a slow metabolism is rarely the cause of excess weight gain. Although your metabolism influences your body’s basic energy needs, it’s your food and beverage intake and your physical activity that ultimately determine how much you weigh.”

The term “metabolism” or “basal metabolic rate” (“BMR”) is the number of calories your body uses to carry out some basic functions, such as biochemically processing calories and oxygen to realize the energy used by your body. Even at rest, you need to breathe, blood needs to circulate, hormones adjust and cells repair and grow. All this requires energy/calories/metabolism.

On average, 60 to 75% of the calories you use to fuel the process of these basic functions are fairly consistent and fixed. That said, there is more to metabolism when it comes to burning calories. About 10% of the calories used each day is used for thermogenesis – the digesting, absorbing, transporting and storing the food you consume. And the rest of the calories used is from physical activity and exercise, whether it’s running up a hill, or carrying groceries from the car to the home.

[Read Lose Weight without Dieting, a primer on thermogenesis.]

Determinants of BMR

There are three basic factors that determine your basal metabolic rate (BMR):

Your body size and composition. Even while resting, the bodies of people who are larger or have more muscle burn up more calories.
Your sex. Men usually have less body fat and more muscle than do women of the same age and weight, and muscle burns more calories, even with the body at rest.
Your age. As you get older, the amount of muscle tends to decrease and fat accounts for more of your weight, slowing down calorie burning. This is why it’s so important to engage in weight-bearing exercise (walking up hills, calisthenics, weight lifting) as you get older, so that muscle tissue is retained.

Although it may be tempting to blame your metabolism for weight gain, only rarely is this the case. Instead, what’s true is that weight gain is most commonly the result of eating more calories than you burn. Yes, it’s pretty black and white after all: To lose weight, you need to create an energy deficit by eating fewer calories, increasing the number of calories you burn through physical activity, or both.

So, with that primer on metabolism behind us, let’s return to the “7 tricks” that Ms. Danzinger wrote about. I contend that rather than principally effecting metabolism, these tricks mainly influence thermogenises, that being the calories digesting, absorbing, transporting and storing the food you consume. Nonetheless, I think what she presents would be helpful to someone trying to lose body fat, and so I’ll summarize them, and if you wish to delve deeper, read her 7 Tricks to a Speedier Metabolism here.

7 Tricks to Speed Up Calorie Burning While at Rest

1. Scrimping on shut-eye

In a study of more than 68,000 women, those who slept seven hours weighed 5.5 pounds less than women who slept five hours or less.

2. Stressing out

Stress has a deleterious effect on your thyroid, a gland that regulates metabolism and protein synthesis, among other things. If not working properly, you can gain weight, feel depressed and fatigued.

3. Skipping breakfast

Miss breakfast and you’ll have less energy and likely eat more later than you would if a good quality breakfast was eaten. What you eat for breakfast is important… try to consume all three macronutrients: protein, complex carbs and a high quality (omega-3) fat. Try an omelet made with 4 egg whites, 1/2 cup chopped broccoli, 1/4 cup chopped onion and 1 oz lowfat shredded cheese; it delivers an impressive 22 g protein per serving.

4. Staying seated

Sitting for a few hours switches off enzymes that capture fat in the bloodstream, but standing up and getting active reignites them. Stand when possible.

5. Eating junk food

Junk food might stimulate a gene that encourages your body to store excess fat, causing you to gain weight over time. Dampen sweet cravings with berries or an orange, both of which are high in vitamin C, a nutrient that can help you sizzle up to 30 percent more fat during exercise.

6. Falling into a workout rut

As you get closer to your weight goal, there’s less body mass to consume calories, so you need fewer of them. Rather than get upset, revamp your workouts and try different quality foods.

7. Dodging the weight room

Lifting weights helps you build calorie-burning lean muscle, and with more lean muscle, you use more calories even when just sitting at your desk or lying on the bed. Add weight-bearing exercises like planks, lunges, squats and tricep dips to your workouts three times a week, and/or develop a rigorous yoga routine that requires lifting your body up and down off the floor.

Good luck and have fun — let all great things be done with a light heart.

No Excuses — A 5 Minute Exercise Routine

Joe Garma — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 02:21:27 +0000

In the video above, Megan Hoffman beautifully demonstrates an easy way to start a life of exercise, beginning with just five minutes a day.

In these five minutes, Ms. Hoffman shows you exercises that touch all of the body, for strength and cardiovascular fitness. As you improve, you can cycle through the exercises sequence as many times as you feel you can.

If you now can only do one set (one cycle) you don’t need a rest day — do it every day. However as you increase the sets and thereby tax the body, you’ll need a rest day. On the rest day, do something else, like walk up a hill, or do yoga. Just remember to not exercise at least one day a week.

One other pointer — you can modify the push-ups by placing your knees on the floor to reduce the weight your arms need to push. Less weight is achieved with your knees on the floor and feet resting on the floor as well, and more weight can be loaded by keeping your knees on the floor but raising your feet to your buttocks.

The 40 Best Age-Erasing Superfoods

Joe Garma — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 01:35:26 +0000

You’ll be blown away by the specific health benefits of these foods!

NEVER BEFORE has there been more research devoted to life extension via nutrition. The Baby Boomers simply refuse to age. I can relate, and I do relate to you on this blog about some of the pearls I run across and experience myself.

The editors of Men’s Health report about the latest science on the muscle building, brain enhancing, wrinkle erasing, heart strengthening, bone protecting, immunity boosting, and inflammation fighting foods you should be eating every day.

I’ll here present what was written, and point out that another scientific journey into the same subject was funded by 86 year-old billionaire David Murdock, who himself is intent on turning back the clock – or at least stopping it.

In Murdock’s recipe for longevity, I report on his “healthiest foods on earth”. In the list below, I note which of the 40 “age-erasing superfoods” reported by Men’s Health match Murdock’s list. Personally, I indulge mightily in most of these foods, and I heartily suggest that you do too.

Choose a couple each week new to you, and once assimilated, add some more each week till the good stuff crowds out the bad stuff, and that face in the mirror reflects the former you.

1. Almonds (a match with Murdock’s Healthiest Foods on Earth)

Rich in amino acids, which bolster testosterone levels and muscle growth, these energy-rich snacks lower bad cholesterol, thanks to plant sterols, and benefit diabetics by lowering blood sugar. Almonds are also stuffed with vitamin E, which helps defend against sun damage. In a study, volunteers who consumed 14 milligrams of the vitamin (about 20 almonds) per day and then were exposed to UV light burned less than those who took none. And because vitamin E is an antioxidant, it also works to keep your arteries free of dangerous free radicals. Low levels of vitamin E are also associated with poor memory performance and cognitive decline, says dietitian Sari Greaves of New York Presbyterian Hospital–Cornell.

2. Flaxseeds

Abundant in protein and fiber, these little seeds offer a payload of omega-3 fatty acids, which erase spots and iron out fine lines in the skin. The British Journal of Nutrition reported that participants in one study who downed about half a teaspoon of omega-3s daily in 6 weeks experienced significantly less irritation and redness, along with better-hydrated skin. A recent study of people with high cholesterol (greater than 240 mg/dL) compared statin treatment with eating 20 grams of flaxseed a day. After 60 days, those eating flaxseed did just as well as those on statins. Try sprinkling ground flaxseed on oatmeal, yogurt, and salads. Or grind them into a powder (or buy them) and sprinkle them on high glycemic foods, such as a bowl of fruit, or in a fruit smoothie.

3. Tomatoes (a match with Murdock’s Healthiest Foods on Earth)

There are two things you need to know about tomatoes: red are the best because they’re packed with more of the antioxidant lycopene; and processed tomatoes are just as potent as fresh ones, because it’s easier for the body to absorb the lycopene. Studies show that a diet rich in lycopene can decrease your risk of bladder, lung, prostate, skin, and stomach cancers, as well as reduce the risk of coronary artery disease, and help eliminate skin-aging free radicals caused by ultraviolet rays. “Cooked tomatoes and tomato paste work best,” says celebrity trainer Gunnar Petersen.

4. Sweet Potatoes (a match with Murdock’s Healthiest Foods on Earth)

Often confused with yams, these tubers are one of the healthiest foods on the planet. In addition to countering the effects of secondhand smoke and preventing diabetes, sweet potatoes contain glutathione, an antioxidant that can enhance nutrient metabolism and immune system health, as well as protect against Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, liver disease, cystic fibrosis, HIV, cancer, heart attack, and stroke. What’s more, they’re also loaded with vitamin C, which smoothes out wrinkles by stimulating the production of collagen. A recent study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that volunteers who consumed 4 milligrams of C (about half a small sweet potato) daily for 3 years decreased the appearance of wrinkles by 11 percent.

5. Spinach (a match with Murdock’s Healthiest Foods on Earth)

It may be green and leafy, but spinach—a renowned muscle builder—is also the ultimate man food. Spinach is replete with the essential minerals potassium and magnesium, and it’s one of the top sources of lutein, an antioxidant that may help prevent clogged arteries. Plus its vitamins and nutrients can bolster bone-mineral density, attack prostate cancer cells, reduce the risk of skin tumors, fight colon cancer, and, last but not least, increase blood flow to the penis. “Popeye was on to something,” says Susan Bowerman, assistant director of the Center for Human Nutrition at the University of California at Los Angeles.

6. Rosemary

The carnosic acid found in this spice has been shown to reduce stroke risk in mice by 40 percent, according to a study published in the Journal of Neurochemistry. Carnosic acid appears to set off a process that shields brain cells from free-radical damage, which can worsen the effects of a stroke. It can also protect against degenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and the general effects of aging.

7. Wild Salmon

A 4-ounce serving of salmon has approximately 2,000 milligrams of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), omega-3 fatty acids that serve as oil for the brain’s hardware by helping nerve cells communicate with one another. Thirty-five percent of your brain consists of fatty acids like these, but they can decline as the years stack up. A 2008 University of Cincinnati study, for instance, found that the brain tissue of 65- to 80-year-olds contained 22 percent less DHA than the brain tissue of 29- to 35-year-olds. “If you want to keep your wits about you as you age, start consuming omega-3s now,” says William Harris, Ph.D., a nutrition researcher at the University of South Dakota. Why is wild so important? Because farmed fish, which are fattened with soy, can be as high in inflammatory omega-6 fats as a cheeseburger. If in doubt, opt for sockeye salmon, which can’t be farmed and is always wild. Aim for at least two servings a week, says dietitian Joan Salge Blake, author of Nutrition and You.

8. Blueberries (a match with Murdock’s Healthiest Foods on Earth)

“This potent little fruit can help prevent a range of diseases from cancer to heart disease,” says Ryan Andrews, the director of research at Precision Nutrition, in Toronto, Canada. Think of blueberries as anti-rust for your gray matter, too. Besides being rich in fiber and vitamins A and C, they’re also packed with antioxidants—only açai, an Amazonian berry, contains more—that neutralize the free radicals that cause neuronal misfires. Eat a cup a day, and opt for wild blueberries whenever possible, as they contain 26 percent more antioxidants than cultivated varieties.

9. Green Tea

Green tea releases catechin, an antioxidant with proven anti-inflammatory and anticancer properties. Research found that drinking 2 to 6 cups a day not only helps prevent skin cancer but might also reverse the effects of sun damage by neutralizing the changes that appear in sunexposed skin. Other studies show that green tea—infused with another antioxidant called epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG)—can boost your cardiovascular health and reduce the risk of most types of cancer.

10. Dark Chocolate

Flavonoids, a natural nutrient in cocoa, improve blood flow in the brain, which helps boost cognitive function. Plus dark chocolate contains a tannin called procyanidin, which is also found in red wine, that can keep your arteries flexible and your blood pressure low. It helps on the outside, too. In a study from the Journal of Nutrition, women who drank cocoa fortified with a chocolate bar’s worth of flavonols had better skin texture and stronger resistance to UV rays than those who drank significantly fewer flavonols. Indulge in 1 ounce a day to get all the benefits, says dietitian Sari Greaves of New York Presbyterian Hospital–Cornell.

11. Tuna

Your favorite deli sandwich has a little secret: Selenium. This nutrient helps preserve elastin, a protein that keeps your skin smooth and tight. The antioxidant is also believed to buffer against the sun (it stops free radicals created by UV exposure from damaging cells). Tuna is also a great source of protein, contains no trans fat, and a 3-ounce serving of chunk light contains 11 mg of heart-healthy niacin, which has been shown to help lower cholesterol and help your body process fat. University of Rochester researchers determined that niacin raises HDL cholesterol (the good kind) and lowers triglycerides more than most statins alone.

12. Carrots (a match with Murdock’s Healthiest Foods on Earth)

Think of carrots as orange wonder wands—good for the eyeballs, and good for clearing up breakouts. No magic here, though, just plenty of vitamin A, which prevents overproduction of cells in the skin’s outer layer. That means fewer dead cells to combine with sebum and clog pores. They’re also spiked with carotenoids-fat-soluble compounds that are associated with a reduction in a wide range of cancers, as well as a reduced risk and severity of inflammatory conditions such as asthma and rheumatoid arthritis.

13. Dried Plums

Also known as prunes, prunes are rich in copper and boron, both of which can help prevent osteoporosis. “They also contain a fiber called inulin, which, when broken down by intestinal bacteria, makes for a more acidic environment in the digestive tract,” says Bowerman. “That, in turn, facilitates calcium absorption.”

14. Whole Grains

Whole grains—oatmeal, wheat flour, barley, brown rice—are high in fiber, which calms inflamed tissues while keeping the heart strong, the colon healthy, and the brain fueled. Whole grains can be loaded with carbs, but the release of those sugars is slowed by the fiber, and because they can pack as much as 10 grams of protein per 1/2-cup serving, they also deliver steady muscle-building energy. But not all breads and crackers advertised as “whole grain” are the real deal. “Read the label,”says Lynn Grieger, an online health, food, and fitness coach. “Those that aren’t whole grain can be high in fat, which increases inflammation.”

15. Red Wine

Swimming in resveratrol—a natural compound that lowers LDL, raises HDL, and prevents blood clots—red wine can truly be a lifesaver. A recent review in Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, for instance, suggests that resveratrol may prevent or delay the onset of chronic disease. But limit your intake to two drinks a day. According to a study of 6,000 patients in the Journal of the American Medical Association, you’re 97 percent more likely to reach your 85th birthday if you keep your daily alcohol consumption to fewer than three drinks. Vin rouge is also a rich source of flavonoids, antioxidants that help protect the lining of blood vessels in your heart, and may make you less likely to die of cardiovascular disease, according to Japanese researchers. If you want to get resveratrol, you’ll have to use resveratrol supplements.

16. Yogurt

Various cultures claim yogurt as their own creation, but the 2,000-year-old food’s health benefits are not disputed: Fermentation spawns hundreds of millions of probiotic organisms that serve as reinforcements to the battalions of beneficial bacteria in your body, which keep your digestive tract healthy and your immune system in top form, and provide protection against cancer. Not all yogurts are probiotic, though, so make sure the label says “live and active cultures.” Stay away from those that are sweetened.

17. Avocado (a match with Murdock’s Healthiest Foods on Earth)

Chock full of monounsaturated fat, avocados deliver a double-barreled blast to LDL cholesterol (the bad kind). They are also rich in folate, a water-soluble B vitamin that helps lower the levels of homocysteine, an amino acid that can hinder the flow of blood through blood vessels. Eat a 1/4 cup twice a week, says Greaves.

18. Walnuts

Richer in heart-healthy omega-3s than salmon, loaded with more anti-inflammatory polyphenols than red wine, and packing half as much musclebuilding protein as chicken, the walnut sounds like a Frankenfood, but it grows on trees. Other nuts combine only one or two of these features, not all three. A serving of walnuts—about 1 ounce, or seven nuts—is good anytime, but especially as a post-workout recovery snack.

19. Turmeric

Curcumin, the polyphenol that gives turmeric its tang and yellow hue, has anti-cancer properties, anti-inflammatory effects, and tumor-fighting activities known in nutrition speak as anti-angiogenesis. Researchers at UCLA have also found that it helps deter the accumulation of amyloid plaques in the brain, tiny blockages that may cause Alzheimer’s disease. Turmeric’s prevalence in India, the researchers suggest, may help explain why so few of the country’s senior citizens have the disease, whereas the statistic is close to 13 percent in the United States, according to the Alzheimer’s Association. One tip: Pair it with pepper in curries. “Adding black pepper to turmeric or turmeric-spiced food enhances curcumin’s bioavailability by 1,000 times, due to black pepper’s hot property called piperine,” says nutritionist Stacy Kennedy of the Dana Farber Cancer Institute.

20. Black Beans

People who eat one 3-ounce serving of black beans a day decrease their risk of heart attack by 38 percent, according to a study in the Journal of Nutrition. And while other beans are also good for your heart, none can boost your brainpower like black beans. That’s because they’re full of anthocyanins, antioxidant compounds that have been shown to improve brain function. They’re also packed with superstar nutrients, including protein, healthy fats, folate, magnesium, B vitamins, potassium, and fiber.

21. Apples (a match with Murdock’s Healthiest Foods on Earth)

An apple a day reduces swelling of all kinds, thanks to quercetin, a flavonoid also found in the skin of red onions. Quercetin reduces the risk of allergies, heart attack, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and prostate and lung cancers. If given the choice, opt for Red Delicious. They contain the most inflammation fighting antioxidants.

22. Alaskan King Crab

High in protein and low in fat, the sweet flesh of the king crab is spiked with zinc—a whopping 7 milligrams per 3.5-ounce serving. “Zinc is an antioxidant, but more important, it helps support healthy bone mass and immune function,” say Bowerman.

23. Pomegranates (a match with Murdock’s Healthiest Foods on Earth)

The juice from the biblical fruit of many seeds can reduce your risk of most cancers, thanks to polyphenols called ellagitannins, which give the fruit its color. In fact, a recent study at UCLA found that pomegranate juice slows the growth of prostate cancer cells by a factor of six.

24. Pak Choy

This crunchy cruciferous vegetable is more than the filler that goes with shrimp in brown sauce. “Bok choy is rich in bone-building calcium, as well as vitamins A and C, folic acid, iron, beta-carotene, and potassium,” says celebrity trainer Teddy Bass. Potassium keeps your muscles and nerves in check while lowering your blood pressure, and research suggests that beta-carotene can reduce the risk of both lung and bladder cancers, as well as macular degeneration.

25. Oysters

Shellfish, in general, is an excellent source of zinc, calcium, copper, iodine, iron, potassium, and selenium. “But the creamy flesh of oysters stands apart for its ability to elevate testosterone levels and protect against prostate cancer,” says Bass.

26. Broccoli (a match with Murdock’s Healthiest Foods on Earth)

One cup of broccoli contains a hearty dose of calcium, as well as manganese, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, and iron. And that’s in addition to its high concentration of vitamins—including A, C, and K—and the phytonutrient sulforaphane, which studies at Johns Hopkins University suggest has powerful anticancer properties.

27. Kiwis (a match with Murdock’s Healthiest Foods on Earth)

Like bananas, this fuzzy fruit is high in bone-protecting potassium. “They’re also rich in vitamin C and lutein, a carotenoid that can help reduce the risk of heart disease,” says Bowerman. “I try to eat at least one or two a week after exercising.” Freeze them for a refreshing energy kick, but don’t peel the skin: It’s edible and packed with nutrients.

28. Olive Oil

The extra-virgin variety is rich in beneficial monounsaturated fats. “Its fatty acids and polyphenols reduce inflammation in cells and joints,” says Grieger. A study in the journal Nature found that it’s as effective as Advil at reducing inflammation. “Have 2 tablespoons a day,” says Bowerman.

29. Leeks

“Leeks can support sexual functioning and reduce the risk of prostate cancer,” says Michael Dansinger, M.D., an assistant professor of medicine and an obesity researcher at Tufts–New England Medical Center, in Boston. “Chop the green part of a medium leek into thin ribbons and add it to soups, sautés, and salads as often as possible.” These scallionlike cousins of garlic and onions are also packed with bone-bolstering thiamine, riboflavin, calcium, and potassium, and they’re also rich in folic acid, a B vitamin that studies have shown to lower levels of the artery-damaging amino acid homocystein in the blood.

30. Artichokes (a match with Murdock’s Healthiest Foods on Earth)

Lauded for centuries as an aphrodisiac, this fiber-rich plant contains more bone-building magnesium and potassium than any other vegetable. Its leaves are also rich in flavonoids and polyphenols—antioxidants that can cut the risk of stroke—and vitamin C, which helps maintain the immune system. “Eat them as often as you can,” says Bowerman. Ripe ones feel heavy for their size and squeak when squeezed.

31. Chili Peppers

“Chilis stimulate the metabolism, act as a natural blood thinner, and help release endorphins,” says Petersen. Plus, they’re a great way to add flavor to food without increasing fat or calorie content. Chilis are also rich in beta-carotene, which turns into vitamin A in the blood and fights infections, as well as capsaicin, which inhibits neuropeptides (chemicals that cause inflammation). A recent study in the journal Cancer Research found that hot peppers even have anti-prostate-cancer properties. All this from half a chili pepper (or 1 tablespoon of chili flakes) every day.

32. Ginger

Contrary to popular belief, ginger—a piquant addition to so many Asian dishes—isn’t a root, it’s a stem, which means it contains living compounds that improve your health. Chief among them is gingerol, a cancer suppressor that studies have shown to be particularly effective against that of the colon. Chop ginger or grind it fresh and add it to soy marinated fish or chicken as often as you can. The more you can handle, the better.

33. Cinnamon

Known for making desserts sweet and Indian food complex, cinnamon is rich in antioxidants that inhibit blood clotting and bacterial growth (including the bad-breath variety). “Studies also suggest that it may help stabilize blood sugar, reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes,” says dietitian Nancy Clark, author of Nancy Clark’s Sports Nutrition Guidebook. “What’s more, it may help reduce bad cholesterol. Try half a teaspoon a day in yogurt or oatmeal.”

34. Eggs

Those who have eggs for breakfast lose 65 percent more weight than those who down a bagel breakfast with the same number of calories, according to a study in the International Journal of Obesity. Eat the yolk, too. Recent studies have proved that the fat in the yellow part is important to keep you satiated, and the benefits of its minerals and nutrients outweigh its cholesterol effect.

35. Figs

Packed with potassium, manganese, and antioxidants, this fruit also helps support proper pH levels in the body, making it more difficult for pathogens to invade, says Petersen. Plus, the fiber in figs can lower insulin and blood-sugar levels, reducing the risk of diabetes and metabolic syndrome. Select figs with dark skins (they contain more nutrients) and eat them alone or add them to trail mix.

36. Grass-Fed Beef

Nothing beats pure protein when it comes to building muscle. The problem with most store-bought beef, however, is that the majority of cattle are grain fed, which gives their meat a relatively high ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids. That, in turn, contributes to inflammation. The fatty acids in grass-fed beef, on the other hand, are skewed toward the omega-3 variety. Such beef also contains conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), which studies have shown help reduce belly fat and build lean muscle.

37. Mushrooms (a match with Murdock’s Healthiest Foods on Earth)

Delicious when added to brown rice, reiki, shiitake, and maitake mushrooms are rich in the antioxidant ergothioneine, which protects cells from abnormal growth and replication. “In short, they reduce the risk of cancer,” says Bowerman, who recommends half a cup once or twice a week. “Cooking them in red wine, which contains resveratrol, magnifies their immunity-boosting power.”

38. Pineapples (a match with Murdock’s Healthiest Foods on Earth)

With its potent mix of vitamins, antioxidants, and enzymes—in particular, bromelain, pineapple is an all-body anti-inflammation cocktail. It also protects against colon cancer, arthritis, and macular degeneration, says Grieger. (If only the “colada” part of the equation were as healthy.) Have half a cup, two or three times a week.

39. Fruit or Vegetable Juice

Raise a glass of the good stuff. In a 2006 University of South Florida study, people who drank three or more 4-ounce glasses of fruit or vegetable juice each week were 76 percent less likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease than those who drank less. The high levels of polyphenols—antioxidants found in fruits and vegetables—may protect brain cells from the damage that may be caused by the disease, says study author Amy Borenstein, Ph.D.

40. Bing Cherries (a match with Murdock’s Healthiest Foods on Earth)

Research by the U.S. Department of Agriculture shows that eating about 35 bing cherries a day can lower the risk of tendinitis, bursitis, arthritis, and gout, says Bowerman. Studies also suggest that they reduce the risk of chronic diseases and metabolic syndrome.

Drink Your Way to Health and Weight Loss

Joe Garma — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 20:07:14 +0000

No to whiskey, soda or sugary fruit drinks… Yes to water, green tea and a healthy smoothie

DO YOU have friends that never drink water? I do. I’m thinking of one guy in particular as I write this post whom I’ve known for thirty years, and have never once seen him drink a glass of water. Rather, it’s always a large bottle of soda or ice tea.

My friend is not doing himself any good; in fact, he may be harming himself. The reason is that drinks like soda and most ice tea you buy pre-made are calorie dense, and the calories are comprised of unhealthy sugars, like high-fructose corn syrup.

According to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (as reported here), most of our calories come from soda, not food. The percentage of soda calories is 7.1% — more than any other of 143 categories of food intake measured.

Consider this perspective: If you eat 2,500 calories per day, and reduced that tally by 7%, or 2,325, then you would drop 1.5 pounds each month, or 18 pounds over a year. Small changes can, over time, produce significant results.

Soda is not the only culprit – as mentioned, many bottled drinks are stuffed with nasty sugar-type garbage, like corn syrup. (Learn about which sugars are best here.) These insidious “sugars” are worse than “real” sugar. Many researchers link the obesity epidemic in America to high-fructose corn syrup. (See if your drink among the unhealthiest drinks here, and watch the late Peter Jennings’s special about corn syrup and the fattening of America here.)

So, the best thing to do is to drink purified water, not bottled water given the environmental issues with the manufacture of the plastic, the transportation of the water and the disposal of the bottle.

Increase Metabolism with Water

A study of 173 overweight women that drank more than one liter (about 4.5 cups) per day, showed an average loss of 5 pounds over twelve months. If you’re a soda/ice tea/sugary fruit drinker who substitutes that for water, your one year weight loss, then, is 23 pounds (18 + 5).

Researchers at the University of Utah discovered that the more water you drink, the higher your metabolism — the eight-cup drinkers had greater concentration, higher energy levels and burned more calories than the four-cuppers.

Drink Green Tea, not Coffee

If your coffee habit cannot be overcome, then at least drink real coffee, instead of all those fattening derivatives. Researchers studied coffee habits in New York and found that two-thirds of Starbucks’ customers opted for blended coffee drinks over regular brewed coffee or tea. The average caloric impact of the blended drinks was 239 calories. The regular coffee or tea, by comparison, was only 63 calories after factoring in added cream and sugar. So even if you like your coffee sweet and light, you can strip away 176 calories every day, just by making this one swap.

For those of you who are willing to consider swapping green tea for coffee, you’re in for a world of good. Green tea increases the thermogenic effect in your body, meaning, it helps you burn fat. (Read Nine Reasons to Drink Green Tea.) If you drink multiple cups of coffee each day, try substituting one with green tea, and then after that change settles in, replace another cup, till you’re completely in green tea nirvana.

Drink Smoothies for More Weight Loss

They take little time to make, you can put a lot of good, healthy stuff in them, and they can reduce hunger. The key is to make sure you don’t drink too much, or put fattening stuff in them.

A good recipe is low-fat, unflavored yoga, water, berries, a banana, whey protein, and flax seed powder. (Go here and scroll down to read about my daily tonic.) Researchers at Purdue University found that people stayed fuller longer when they drank thick drinks than when they drank thin ones, and a study at Penn State found that people who drank yogurt shakes that had been blended until they doubled in volume ate 96 fewer calories a day than those consuming thinner drinks.

So, to sum up:

1. Drink lots of water.

2. Eliminate soda, and other sugary drinks.

3. Drink green tea instead of coffee.

4. Eat smoothies

These four steps will add to your health and subtract from your waistline.

Yep.

New Research: Muscles = Longevity!

Joe Garma — Tue, 25 May 2010 19:44:06 +0000

Researchers discover that the fountain of youth may relate to your muscles!

Major Skeletal Muscles in the Human Body

FROM THE prestigious Buck Institute for Age Research to calorie restricted diets to resveratrol-injected mice, medical researchers are grappling with the question of what, if anything, can extend the life span of organisms… particularly us.

Now, researchers at Liverpool and the University of California have discovered yet another clue to the mystery of aging – Heat Shock Protein, or “HSP10”, a “stress” protein that could halt the aging process by preserving muscle strength.

Yes, muscle strength.

(Hear that, Mom? Been telling you since I was a thin 15-year old pumping the weights in the basement!)

The body is made up of cells and each cell has within it, in effect, a power plant called “mitochondria” which generate most of the cells supply of ATP (adenosine triphosphate), a chemical energy that cells principally use for metabolism. Mitochondria are involved in a range of other processes, such as signaling, cell growth and…. cell death!

Cells die, you die.

So, here’s the insight that this research uncovered:

HSP10 helps to monitor and organize protein interactions in the mitochondria, and responds to environmental stresses, such as exercise and infection, by increasing its own production which can then halt the aging process by preserving muscle strength.

Professor Anne McArdle, from the University’s School of Clinical Sciences, said: “In response to [various] stresses, HSP10 increases its levels and helps cells resist damage and recover more effectively. Our research is the first to demonstrate that age-related loss of skeletal muscle mass is not inevitable and this could have considerable implications for the future health care of the elderly. Between the ages of 50 and 70 we lose approximately 25-30% of our muscle. Falls – a major cause of injury and death in people over the age of 65 – are often the direct result of loss of mobility and weakened skeletal muscle.” (More here.)

Further research into HSP10 will focus on how muscles age in order to determine if this protein could be used therapeutically. Clinical trials will need to be conducted to establish what benefits HSP10 can confer to the quality of life, such as preservation of muscle strength.

But the good news is that you need not wait for some magic pill, should one evolve from this research, to benefit from this discovery. Instead, you only need to develop a regime of resistance-based exercise to stimulate the production of muscle, particularly skeletal muscle.

No matter how old you are, you can still develop muscle. Try a vigorous, widely taught form of yoga, such as Ashtanga Yoga, walking hills mixed with some calisthenics for the upper body, or weight lifting (under the supervision of a trainer if you’re new to this).

For a long and strong life, keep those muscles pumping!

Lose Weight Without Dieting

Joe Garma — Sun, 16 May 2010 02:24:09 +0000

Simply changing when and how often you eat can have a startling affect on your weight and health.

WEIGHT CONTROL is all about calories in, calories out, right?

Not completely.

Take a listen to one of my favorite doctors, Mark Hyman, in the video below, to learn about the thermogenic effect.

Researchers have found that those who eat small amounts of food more often increase their calorie burn (thermogenesis).

The worst thing you can do is to skip breakfast, have a lunch on the run and then sit down to a hefty dinner. In this instance, during the long periods of the day when not eating, the body reduces its metabolism, and you burn less calories.

Moreover, this type of eating increases cholesterol and the production of insulin which can make you fatter.

Protein, Carbs and Fat

Low fat diets don’t work. Low carb diets can work if they’re quality carbs, meaning complex and nutritious carbs such as vegetables and whole grains. High protein diets can work because ingesting protein can burn more calories.

Seventy-one more calories were burned each day by studies participants who ate 36% of their daily calories from protein. That’s 7.4 pounds of weight loss over a year.

–> A protein warning: people with kidney problems have to be cautious about increasing protein, and people with osteoporosis need to eat proteins with less acid than animal protein, such as beans, nuts and seeds. In addition, a prolonged high protein diet is not healthy, particularly if high in saturated fats — meaning meat.

Green Tea

It’s the most consumed beverage in the world. (Sorry, Coke) And it’s great for you. Green tea increases the thermogenic effect and makes people leaner, and decreases oxidative stress on metabolism. Find a high-quality, organic green tea and drink several cups of it each day.

So, now that the highlights have been presented, here’s the good doctor:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Virus Discovered May Cause Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Joe Garma — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 05:33:55 +0000

Yes, It’s Real… Not a Psychological Problem!

I AM very happy to report that today the online journal Science has reported that a virus has been discovered that might directly cause, or contribute to, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

For more than 20 years, I’ve watched a close friend battle this “syndrome”, not only within himself, but with much of the medical community which has long thought that these patients were simply indolent or had psychiatric problems rather than genuine physical debilitation. His was a frustrating and exhausting journey.

Worldwide, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome causes prolonged and sever fatigue, body aches and other symptoms in approximately 17 million people, including at least one million Americans. And now it’s not deemed to be in some collective imagination — medical science finally says it’s real.

The journal Science reports that 68 of 101 patients with the syndrome, or 67 percent, were infected with an infectious virus, xenotropic murine leukemia virus-related virus, or XMRV. Continuing work after the paper was published has found the virus in nearly 98 percent of about 300 patients with the syndrome, said Dr. Judy A. Mikovits, the lead author of the paper.

Dr. Mikovits said she and her colleagues are planning to test antiretroviral drugs on the syndrome. If the drugs work, that will help prove that the virus is causing the illness. She said patients and doctors should wait for the studies to be finished before trying the drugs.

For more on this, go to the New York Times article by Denise Grady.